Beaver et al v. Eastland Mall Holdings, LLC et al

Filing 47

ORDER granting 46 Motion for Attorney Fees. Signed by Judge Edmund A. Sargus on 5/9/2022. (cmw)(This document has been sent by regular mail to the party(ies) listed in the NEF that did not receive electronic notification.)

Case: 2:20-cv-00485-EAS-CMV Doc #: 47 Filed: 05/09/22 Page: 1 of 3 PAGEID #: 726

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO
EASTERN DIVISION
KEJUANA BEAVER,
Individually and on Behalf of All
Others Similarly Situated,

Case No. 2:20-cv-485
JUDGE EDMUND A. SARGUS, JR.
Magistrate Judge Chelsey M. Vascura

Plaintiffs,
v.
EASTLAND MALL HOLDINGS,
LLC, et al.,
Defendants.

ORDER GRANTING ATTORNEY FEES
This matter is before the Court on Plaintiffs’ Motion for Supplemental Attorneys’ Fees and
Costs (ECF No. 46). For the following reasons, Plaintiffs’ motion is GRANTED.
I.

Background

Named Plaintiffs 1 filed this action on January 28, 2020, alleging violations of the Fair
Labor Standards Act and Ohio wage law against Defendants Eastland Mall Holdings, LLC, and
Group 7 Staffing, LLC. (Compl., ECF No. 1; Second Am. Compl., ECF No. 15.) On March 22,
2021, the Court granted Plaintiffs’ motions for Default Judgement and for attorneys’ fees and costs
associated with perfecting service upon Defendants. (ECF No. 27.)
On June 28, 2021, following a hearing, the Court entered final judgment against
Defendants on all claims and awarded Plaintiffs damages in the amount of $28,364.00. (Op. &
Order, ECF No. 33.) The Court also awarded Plaintiffs their additional reasonable attorneys’ fees
in the amount of $30,219.00 and costs in the amount of $586.25. The Court further held that

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Kejuana Beaver, Askia Lamar Champion, Oscar Baylor, Jr., and Desyre Whitehead.

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Case: 2:20-cv-00485-EAS-CMV Doc #: 47 Filed: 05/09/22 Page: 2 of 3 PAGEID #: 727

Plaintiffs may file a motion for attorneys’ fees associated with the damages hearing and collecting
judgment from Defendants. (Id. at 2.)
On August 13, 2021, Defendant Eastland Mall Holdings, LLC moved the Court for relief
from default judgment. (ECF No. 39.) Plaintiffs filed a response in opposition. (ECF No. 40.) The
Court held an evidentiary hearing on March 17, 2022. On March 23, 2022, the Court issued an
Order denying Defendant’s motion. (ECF No. 45.)
Plaintiffs now move this Court for an Order awarding them supplemental attorneys’ fees
and expenses incurred since the Court’s entry of final judgment on June 28, 2021. (Pl.’s Mot., ECF
No. 46.) Defendants did not file an response in opposition.
II.

Law and Analysis

The FLSA and Ohio law allows the prevailing party to recover reasonable attorney fees,
litigation expenses and costs incurred in furtherance of the action. 29 U.S.C. § 216(b); R.C. §
4111.10(A). Plaintiff reports that Defendants have failed to pay the judgment or any attorney fees
and costs ordered by the Court on June 28, 2021. Because Plaintiffs’ attorneys have spent
additional time attempting to collect judgment from Defendants and opposing Defendant Eastland
Mall Holdings’ motion for relief from default judgment, Plaintiffs are entitled to additional
attorneys’ fees and costs.
A. Attorneys’ Fees
Since June 28, 2021, Plaintiffs have spent an additional 28.6 hours of attorney time
perfecting the judgment and defending against Defendants’ motion for relief from judgment.
Plaintiffs seek an award of their attorneys’ fees at the same hourly rate this Court approved earlier
in this litigation, $335.00 per hour. (See Doc. No. 31-1 & Order, Doc. No. 33.) Plaintiffs are
entitled to an additional award of 28.6 hours x $335.00 = $9,581.00 in attorney fees.

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B. Litigation Costs
Plaintiffs have incurred an additional $445.58 in out-of-pocket expenses since the Court’s
entry of final judgment on June 28, 2021. (See Itemized Costs & Expenses, ECF No. 46-1, Ex. A2). The costs and expenses requested are those that would be billed to a fee-paying client. See
Waldo v. Consumers Energy Co., 726 F.3d 802, 827 (6th Cir. 2013). The Court awards Plaintiffs
$445.58 in costs and expenses.
III.

Conclusion

For the reasons above, the Court GRANTS Plaintiffs’ motion for supplemental attorneys’
fees and litigation costs (ECF No. 46). Plaintiffs are AWARDED $10,026.58 in supplemental
attorneys’ fees and litigation costs. This case remains closed.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
5/9/2022
DATE

s/Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
EDMUND A. SARGUS, JR.
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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