Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-04307/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-04307-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 791
Nature of Suit: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Cause of Action: 29:1132 E.R.I.S.A.: Employee Benefits

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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 Plaintiffs dismissed Roger Pitcher as a defendant. See

Docket Nos. 15 and 16. 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

LARRY TOTTEN, JOSE MORENO, in their

capacities as Trustees of the

LABORERS HEALTH AND WELFARE TRUST

FUND FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA;

LABORERS VACATION-HOLIDAY TRUST

FUND FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA;

LABORERS PENSION TRUST FUND FOR

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA; and LABORERS

TRAINING AND RETRAINING TRUST FUND

FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA,

Plaintiffs,

v.

ALEX PEGUES, individually; ROGER

PITCHER, individually; ALEX PEGUES

and ROGER PITCHER, individually and

dba C&C MAINTENANCE SERVICE and C&C

MAINTENANCE SERVICE, 

Defendants. 

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No. C-05-4307-SC

ORDER REGARDING

ATTORNEYS' FEES AND

COSTS

I. INTRODUCTION

Plaintiffs Larry Totten et al. ("Plaintiffs") filed this

action against Defendants Alex Pegues, both individually and dba

C&C Maintenance Service ("Defendants")1, alleging causes of action

for violations of the Employee Retirement Security Act, 29 U.S.C.

§ 1001 et seq. ("ERISA"). 

 In its Order granting Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment

Case 3:05-cv-04307-SC Document 52 Filed 04/17/07 Page 1 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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("Summary Judgment Order"), the Court awarded Plaintiffs

attorneys' fees and costs, subject to the Court's approval of

Plaintiffs' offer of proof. See Docket No. 48. Having reviewed

Plaintiffs' declaration, see Docket No. 51, the Court AWARDS

Plaintiffs attorneys' fees of $29,159.94 and costs of $1,800.81.

II. BACKGROUND

Plaintiffs sued Defendants Alex Pegues and C&C Maintenance

Service to recover delinquent contributions to several Laborers

Trust Funds. See First Amended Complaint, Docket No. 4. The

relevant facts of the case have been described in previous orders,

familiarity with which is presumed. For purposes of the instant

order, the Court need only determine whether Plaintiffs' requested

fees and costs are reasonable.

III. DISCUSSION

In the Summary Judgment Order, the Court found that

Defendants were bound by the Collective Bargaining Agreement

covering the Laborers Trust Funds for Northern California listed

in the case caption. Plaintiffs seek attorneys' fees and costs

based on provisions of the Trust Agreements and ERISA. The Trust

Agreements provide:

If any individual employer defaults in the making of such

contributions or payments and if the Board consults or causes

to be consulted legal counsel with respect thereto, there

shall be added to the obligation of the individual employer

who is in default, reasonable attorneys fees, court costs and

all other reasonable expenses incurred in connection with

such suit or claim, including any and all appellate

proceedings therein.

Case 3:05-cv-04307-SC Document 52 Filed 04/17/07 Page 2 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Hagan Decl., Ex. C, 11. Furthermore, Section 502(g)(2) of ERISA

mandates the award of attorneys fees:

In an action under this subchapter by a fiduciary for or on

behalf of a plan to enforce section 1145 of this title in

which a judgment in favor of the plan is awarded, the court

shall award the plan-- . . . (D) reasonable attorney's fees

and costs of the action, to be paid by the defendant . . . .

29 U.S.C. § 1132(g)(2). In this case, the Trust Funds are a

fiduciary under ERISA and they are entitled to an award if the

following requirements are met: "1) the employer must be

delinquent at the time the action is filed; (2) the district court

must enter a judgment against the employer; and (3) the plan must

provide for such an award." Northwest Admin., Inc. v. Albertson's

Inc., 104 F.3d 253, 257 (9th Cir. 1996). As discussed in the

Summary Judgment Order, Defendant is delinquent in contributions,

the Court entered judgment against Defendant, and the plan

provided for such an award. See Docket No. 48, 49; Hagan Decl.,

Ex. C, 11.

The Court has reviewed the Lozano-Batista Declaration, Docket

No. 51. The attorneys' fees incurred by Plaintiffs were

reasonably and necessarily incurred in pursuit of their case

against Defendants for failure to contribute to the various

pension plans. The attorneys' hourly rate of $225 was reasonable

in light of the attorneys' skill and experience. In addition,

other Courts in this District have found $225 to be a reasonable

hourly rate for attorneys who litigate ERISA cases in the Bay

Area. See Board of Trustees of the Laborers Health and Welfare

Trust Fund for Northern California, et al. v. Atoll Topui Island,

Inc., 2007 WL 174409 (N.D. Cal. Jan. 22, 2007). Thus, Plaintiffs

Case 3:05-cv-04307-SC Document 52 Filed 04/17/07 Page 3 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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are entitled to attorneys' fees in the amount of $29,159.94. 

Plaintiffs also requested reimbursement for costs of

$1,800.81, consisting primarily of service of documents for the

case. These items are allowable under Civil Local Rule 54-3 and

the Court finds them to be reasonable. Thus, Plaintiffs are

entitled to costs in the amount of $1,800.81.

V. CONCLUSION

For the reasons stated herein, the Court AWARDS Plaintiffs

attorneys' fees of $29,159.94 and costs of $1,800.81.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 17, 2007 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 

Case 3:05-cv-04307-SC Document 52 Filed 04/17/07 Page 4 of 4