J. M. M. v. County of Los Angeles et al

Filing 136

MINUTE ORDER AWARDING ATTORNEYS FEES by Magistrate Judge Frederick F. Mumm. The Court finds that plaintiffs counsels requested rate of $550 per hour is reasonable based on the experience of counsel as detailed in the Declaration of Vicki I. Sarm iento (the Sarmiento Dec.). The Court further finds that the activities detailed in the Sarmiento Dec. commencing with the entry for October 5, 2015, and ending with the entry for November 10, 2015, are reasonable and are directly related to plaintif fs attempt to obtain compliance with the Court order. The time recorded for these activities is 23.6 hours. 23.6 hours at $550 per hour results in a fee of $12,980. The Court finds this fee to be reasonable and orders COLA to pay to plaintiff attorneys fees in this amount pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(b)(2)(C). The payment is due 30 days from the date of this order. IT IS SO ORDERED. (mz)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
CIVIL MINUTES - GENERAL
Case No.

CV 14-6529 JAK (FFMx)

Title

J.M.M. v. COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, et al.

Present: The Honorable

Date

May 26, 2016

Frederick F. Mumm, United States Magistrate Judge

James Munoz

None

None

Deputy Clerk

Court Reporter / Recorder

Tape No.

Attorneys Present for Plaintiff:

Attorneys Present for Defendant:

None Present

None Present

Proceedings:

(IN CHAMBERS) ORDER AWARDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES

On September 17, 2015, the Court granted plaintiff’s motion to compel defendant
County of Los Angeles (“COLA”) to produce documents. The Court ordered COLA to
produce all responsive documents by October 3, 2015.
On October 8, 2015, plaintiff filed a motion seeking the Court’s intervention to
obtain COLA’s compliance with the September 17, 2015 order. COLA filed a response
and plaintiff filed a reply. The Court held a status conference on November 3, 2015 and
a follow up telephone conference on November 5, 2015. At the conclusion of the
telephone conference, the Court imposed a daily fine to run from November 9, 2015 until
COLA had complied with the Court order. The Court also advised plaintiff to file a
request for recovery of the attorneys’ fees incurred in obtaining COLA’s compliance
with the order.
Plaintiff filed a declaration on November 10, 2015, which, among other things,
detailed the time counsel had spent in attempting to obtain all the documents responsive
to plaintiff’s document request. COLA filed a response on November 17, 2015. Plaintiff
thereafter filed a reply on November 25, 2015.
After reviewing the motion to compel and related documents, the ruling thereon,
the motion for Court interference and related documents, counsels’ arguments at the
telephonic conference thereon, and the documents filed in connection with plaintiff’s
request for attorneys’ fees, the Court finds that it is appropriate to award plaintiff the
attorneys’ fees incurred in obtaining COLA’s compliance with the Court order.
Therefore, the Court will determine a reasonable fee for plaintiff’s counsel commencing
on October 3, 2015, the date that COLA was required to produce all the responsive
documents, and continuing to November 10, 2015, the date the declaration of plaintiff’s
counsel supporting the fee request was finalized.
CV-90 (06/04)

CIVIL MINUTES - GENERAL

Page 1 of 2

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
CIVIL MINUTES - GENERAL
Case No.

CV 14-6529 JAK (FFMx)

Date

Title

May 26, 2016

J.M.M. v. COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, et al.

The Court finds that plaintiff’s counsel’s requested rate of $550 per hour is
reasonable based on the experience of counsel as detailed in the Declaration of Vicki I.
Sarmiento (the “Sarmiento Dec.”).
The Court further finds that the activities detailed in the Sarmiento Dec.
commencing with the entry for October 5, 2015, and ending with the entry for November
10, 2015, are reasonable and are directly related to plaintiff’s attempt to obtain
compliance with the Court order. The time recorded for these activities is 23.6 hours.
23.6 hours at $550 per hour results in a fee of $12,980. The Court finds this fee to be
reasonable and orders COLA to pay to plaintiff attorneys’ fees in this amount pursuant to
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(b)(2)(C). The payment is due 30 days from the date
of this order.
IT IS SO ORDERED.

:
Initials of Preparer

CV-90 (06/04)

CIVIL MINUTES - GENERAL

JM

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