Three Rivers Landing of Gulfport, LP et al v. Three Rivers Landing, LLC et al

Filing 100

MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by Judge James C. Turk on 4/18/14. (med)

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E. t
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o

W ilams t Cour fndst tt i r t sa er s na ei t sc e. $685 houry r t f M r
li , he
t i ha her a e r ea o bl n hi as The
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j i t W esenDiti ofVigi a,a welasisi pe ntknowldgeoft fes
udge n he tr srct r ni s l t nde nde
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vii n ri ulr
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No.92,Re ta Re mmendainr r ngat ne 'f s(
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95, de
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Da le, r ni c s wa unr as bl a r duc ngt $350,e n t ugh at ne c r ed
nvil Vigi a a e s e ona e nd e i o
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$400rt i Rihmo ) Cha lv.Le Cnt Sc Bd.535F.Supp. 586,603( . Va.
ae n c nd ; dwel e y. h. ,
2d
W D.
2008 (e nghouryr t fom $350t $250f ci lrght c s i Bi St Ga Vigi a
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a notng t a t
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or s ega e vi es he aitf
t

me he bur ofpr ngt twa aprvalngmake rtl Doubl K Pr .LLC v, on
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, t W D. Nov.1 2003 (e i houryr t of
4, ) r ducng l ae
c ei c
ouns l n ommeca las diput c ei Abi don,Vigi a fom $550t $ 0 .
ril e e s e as n ng
r ni, r
o 21 )
The Co tr c ni est t r a edif r nc be wee t c s a ba a t ca esi
ur e og z hat he e r fe e es t n he a e t r nd he s n
t pr ce ngpar r ph.Huds a Cha l we e cvi rg sc esa t dismia fom
he e di
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t i t ntca e whih i a s e tc
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ia ed onta t l s e. kewie
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Pr riswa abasc c
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i omm e c a la ediput a as de de ove t n ye r ago, n r t
r i l e s s e nd lo ci d r e a s
whe a es
w e e l e . or ove ,a lt e c t c s s wer i di s o oft s c ' w he e r t s c r d
r ow r M e r l hr e ied a e
e n vi i ns hi oul
t r a e ha ge
a e us l l e t r t c ge by a t ne i t Roanoke di son.Foral oft e
r ualy ow r han a es har d
tor ys n he
vi i
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r s ,heCour doesno tnd t tar duc i t a$21 $
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or
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ra e Nonehees ,t Co tc nnotfnd a$685 hou l r t t ber s bl f t sc s
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hi

8

naur i t W e tr Diti tofVigni by a at ne wih M r Br
t e n he se n src
ri a
n tor y t
. own' expe i e. nsea
s
renc l t d,

t Cour rduc M r Br s(ndot rpa t )rt ,c ppi t m a a$500ho l rt
he
t e es . own' a he rner aes a ng he t
ury ae.
Thi r duc i t t pa t rr t r s t i a c r s
s e ton o he rne a e e uls n ore pondi r duc i oft blnde hozl r t
ng e ton he e d lry ae

fom $385. t $332. 5
r
94 o
29.
B.

Reasonabl
eness ofH ours educton f Ti e Spent
c
i or m

o Cli sNo S j c t Fe - itngAg e me
n am
t ub e t o esh fi
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e ond ea on or e i he w r oug s he
ts
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tm ee
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e
xpe d n de o or e mie rne ' i ht mde he

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flae rnt .
ee
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pe n ns c s f ams elt o uc esf
s' Thi s mpora r a e he
)
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mie rne ' ntteme o e
rve ol y r t
ta
t s ht ûla e
Gua ant pr desf t r co r ofat e 'f e i ure onl byt Li t d Pa t ri
r y ovi or he e ve y tom ys e s nc r d y he mie rne n

or rt e or t oblgai oft Guaa y ( c r nonl t t Li t Pa t r ag ns
de o nf ce he i tons he rnt whih u y o he mied rne) ai t
t t e Gua a orD e enda s A lhough t pari sa t Cour ha ofe r f r e
he hr e
r nt
f
nt . t
he te nd he
t ve t n e e r d
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a n if n

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ny wo f he o r o n s n ih u g n wa n ee - u t X n P t ifrn l,
tee f re n o rg t b teLi tdPa t ru d rteAfiit Guaa t wa tes b e to
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o l t o tef u c t stida dr s le b t efn lu g n .
ny wo f h o r omt re n e ov d y h ia j d me t6
5Alhough Pl ntf di notpr de a s mar oft hour bild a pa nerr esver ushour
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s
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ls tac
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t o r or
t tcal aton.Base on t Cour' r vi oft er ds,i a ar t appr m at y 29% oft
ha cul i
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oxi el
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t t l ur s e to t sc s we ebil d a t e $6 r t . us t c lul t ane , e s na l b e e
o a ho s p n n hi a e r le t h 85 a e Th , o a c a e w r a o b e l nd d

rt ,h Cou t a r d e tett l mou s g b $ 6, 2.0( 9% o teh r ( r41 1 ho s
ae te r h s e uc d h o a a nt ou ht y 7 61 2 2 f h ou s o 4.2 ur)
muli idb $1 ( 5mi s$ 00 Thi r s t i ane fg ef rt tlfe s ug tof$47 , 1 55
tple y 85 $68 nu 5 :. s e uls n w iur o oa e s o h
45 6.
( 11 .5mius$7 61 20 a an w blnd dho ryr t o $ 2. ( 47 51 5 dii db 1 28
$55 ,287 n
6, 2. ) nd e e e u l ae f 33 29 $ 4, 6.5 vde y 4
h r)
ou s.
6The Cour i awa et t pr si alow i f t r
t s r hat he ovi on l ng or he ecover ofa t neys f i t Af ii e
y tor ' ees n he flat
Guar y expr l i udesenf c e oft guar ee ofpaym entand peror ance by t
ant
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or em nt he
ant
f m
he
9

W hiet Cour c d sm pl c t a ountofhour i ha f s nc onl ha foft
l he
t oul i y ut he m
s n l , i e y l he
count ar br
s e oughtdiecty pur
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ant he
udest woul be
hat
d

i p opra e f s ve a r s
na pr i t or e r l ea ons. r t be us o t na ur oft r a i hi be w ee t
Fis , ca e f he t e he el tons p t n he

pl ntfs( bengt Pa t s p a onebengaLi tdPa t r,he ewasce t nl
ai if one i he rnerhi nd
i
mie rne)t r
rai y

sg iia to elpi e fr e p nd do t ef l c u t tk n t j d me t S c nd s melr e
infc n v ra n fo t x e e n h oz o ns a e o u g n . e o , o ag
r
pe c a oft wor per or e w oul ha bee ne es a y e i t onl c mt i t
r ent ge he
k f m d
d ve n c s r ven f he y ot s n he

Compli ha bee br
ant d n oughtby t Li iedPa t rf re or e e o t Afii t Gua ant
he m t
rne o nf c m nt f he flae
r y.

Se He ly,461U. a 439- ( r cai aer aeda tnvol ac
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S. t 40 whe e l ms r elt nd d ve ommonc eoffcs.
i
or a t
. .

m uc ofc
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ouns l stm e w ilbe de t d ge r l t t lt g ton asa whol ,m a ng i
e' i
l
vo e ne aly o he ii a i
e ki t

difc tt di det hour expe donacli by- am ba i.'.ns tt Co tc ude
fiul o vi he s nde
am- cli ss' l hor,he ur oncl s
)
t r w a s t ntalove l p ofe f t be w ee t A f ii t Gua an y c
he e s ubs a i
ra
f or s t n he fla e
r t ount a t ot r
s nd he he
count
s.

Att s m e tm e, he e ie y ofc uns ' tm e i no a ti a e t e or e e o t
he a
i t ntr t
o els i s t trbut bl o nf c m nt f he
rght unde t A f ii t Gua a y i f r oft Li ied Pa t r I pa tc a ,t c
i s
r he fla e
r nt n avo
he m t
r ne . n r i ul r he onve s on
ri

c ( unt1 wa hea l ltgaeda rs t i t hihetda
ount Co ) s viy ii t nd e uled n he g s magea r Alo,iwa
wa d, s t s
pos i y t one m os i pora t Pl i if a apr c i a m a t r ba e on is lke y nonsbl he
t m t nt o a ntf s s a tc l te , s d
t i l

dic r biiy i ba u c Thi c t howe r wa br hts ey i t Pa t rhi s
s ha gea lt n nkr pty. s oun ,
ve , s oug ol l n he rne s p'
name.M or ove ,i opposng t m oto t dimis Pl i if a g d t tt c
e r n
i he i n o s s , antfs r ue ha he onve so c
r i n ount
wasunr l t dt t c r cua c sa woul e s s r t l fom t m ,sncei a os fom
e a e o he onta t l ount nd
d xit epa a ey r he i t r e r
a s pa a e c m on 1 du y Def nda s ow e t t Pa t r hi ECF N o.1 a 1 1 Thus
e r t om
aw t
e nt
d o he r ne s p.
8 t 0- 2.
,
t Li ie Pa t c nnotnow cl i t tt co r i co ,t w a e om pa s w ihi
he m t d rner a
a m ha he nve son unt oo, s nc
s ed t n
t s
he cope oft A f ii t Gua a y. n s t t Li ie Pa t r i note il t f esi r d
he fla e
r nt I hor , he m t d rne s
ntted o e ncur e

Pa te s p, o whc t Guaa t r weers on i e. eAfiit Guaa t a j 1 Tha fc, we r
rn rhi f r ih he rn o s r e p sbl Se flae r ny t . t a tho ve ,

do sno ma t camsb t ePa te s p s jc t t fe s itngp o son.
e t ke he li y h rn rhi ube t o he e -hfi r vii
10

s e y t pr ec e t con r i c
ol l o os ut he ve s on ount Li w i e, he Li ie Pa t m a notr c
. ke s t
m t d rner y
e overf es
e
utlz t pr e ut t ot rcl i s e y i t na e oft Pa t s p,CountI .
ii ed o os c e he he a m ol l n he m
he rner hi
l
To e ur t tt Li ied Pa t ri notbei c pe a e f w or ptr ued ou s de t
ns e ha he m t
r ne s
ng om ns t d or k ls
t i he

s peoft Afiit Gua a y,t r o e t Cour wildic
co
he fla e
r nt he ef r , he
t l s ountt numbe ofhou sby onehe
r
r
t r .1TheCour c l
hid
t oncudest tonl t t r oft f e r as bl c n be ati e t t
ha y wo-hids he e s e ona y a
trbutd o he
enf r e e oft A fi i t Gua a y a w ilr duc t num be ofhour ac or ngl See Fox
o c m nt he tla e
r nt nd l e e he
r
s c di y.

v. c ,1 S Ct2 0 , 21 ( 01 )(h g a i d tr nigfe dst d r u hj sie n tt
Vie 31 . . 2 5 2 6 2 1 te o ln eemi n e s d o o o g u tc , o o
i
ac eve a tng pe f c i So ti c t m ay t ke i o a co t rove a ls ns ofa s t a
hi
udii
r e ton. ral ours
a nt c unt hei
rl e e
ui, nd

ma us e tmae i c c ai a al ai a at y' tme.
y e si ts n alultng nd loc tng n tome s i )
Bas o t Cour ' r sonst t amount s
ed n he
ts evii o he
s ought t Cour wila r f esa c t
,he
t l wa d e nd oss
asf l :
olows

1
.

cossi t a
t n he mountof$550'
,

ex ns si t a
pe e n he mountof$117 07;a
, 01. nd

f si t a
ee n he mountof$ 6,40. ( e dho l rt of$332. tme 952
31 3 08 blnde ury ae
29 i s
hour (wo-hidsof1 hourl.
st tr
428 s)
The t a a ountt be txe i t r or $328, . 5.
ot l m
o a d s he ef e
591 1
I .
V

C onc us on
l i
Fort f r goi r as ns Pl i tf A polo Ta Cr di Fund-x 3 Li ied Pa t r hi s
he o e ng e o , a n if
l x e t
m t
r ne s p'

peiin f atr ys fesa expe e ( No.94)i GRANTED I PART. t,
tto or to ne ' e nd
ns s ECF
s
N
Coss
e ns , nd f e i t a o of$328, . a et xe a i tDe e nt HG De ope ,
xpe es a e s n he m unt
59115 r a d gans f nda s
vel r

7The Cour wilnotdicountt e
t l
s
he xpens orcosson t sbass, sncet r woul notha bee
es
t
hi i i he e
d
ve n
a lr r ton,i any,i t ecaegores eve i onl t Afiit Gua ant c swer t onl ones
a ge educ i f
n hos t i , n f y he flae
r y ount
e he y
i uded i t Compl nt Forexam pl t flng f ors
ncl
n he
ai .
e, he ii ee ummons f woul nothave bee a l t
ee
d
n ny ess o

j tfl o t eAfiit Gu r nyc nt. mia l t ee petfe lkey wo dno ha be n ls snc
us ie n h flae a a t ou s Si lry, h x r e s i l ul t ve e e s i e
t s eexper ofer t tm ony on a1 t count Fora com pl e br
he am
t f ed es i
l he
s.
et eakdown oft c t and e ns
he oss
xpe es
s
ought s ECF No.96,Ex.1atl.
, ee
11

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