Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_11-cv-00952/USCOURTS-caed-1_11-cv-00952-11/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 893
Nature of Suit: Environmental Matters
Cause of Action: 05:551 Administrative Procedure Act

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1258695.1 10355-037

STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING MOTION FOR ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND OTHER EXPENSES

DANIEL J. O’HANLON, State Bar No. 122380

HANSPETER WALTER, State Bar No. 244847

REBECCA R. AKROYD, State Bar No. 267305

KRONICK, MOSKOVITZ, TIEDEMANN & GIRARD

A Professional Corporation

400 Capitol Mall, 27th Floor

Sacramento, CA 95814

Telephone: (916) 321-4500

Facsimile: (916) 321-4555

EILEEN M. DIEPENBROCK, State Bar No. 119254

JONATHAN R. MARZ, State Bar No. 221188

DIEPENBROCK ELKIN LLP

500 Capitol Mall, Suite 2200

Sacramento, CA 95814

Telephone: (916) 492-5000

Facsimile: (916) 446-2640

Attorneys for Plaintiff

SAN LUIS & DELTA-MENDOTA WATER 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN LUIS & DELTA-MENDOTA WATER 

AUTHORITY; WESTLANDS WATER 

DISTRICT,

Plaintiffs,

v.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE 

INTERIOR, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 1:11-cv-00952-LJO-GSA

STIPULATION AND ORDER 

REGARDING MOTION FOR 

ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND OTHER 

EXPENSES

Judge: Hon. Lawrence J. O’Neill

Case 1:11-cv-00952-LJO-GSA Document 127 Filed 10/19/15 Page 1 of 4
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1258695.1 10355-037 1

STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING MOTION FOR ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND OTHER EXPENSES

To facilitate settlement discussions regarding Plaintiff San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water 

Authority’s (“Authority”) claim for attorneys’ fees and other expenses in this case, the Authority and 

Defendants United States Department of Interior, Sally Jewell, Secretary of Interior, et al. 

(“Defendants”) jointly move this Court to stay briefing on the Authority’s motion for an award of 

attorneys’ fees and other expenses for 120 days. In support of this motion, the Authority and 

Defendants stipulate as follows:

1. The Court entered judgment in this action on March 25, 2015. Doc. 115. Defendants 

filed a Notice of Appeal on May 22, 2015. Doc. 116. Defendants subsequently filed a motion for 

voluntary dismissal of the appeal on September 14, 2015. On September 15, 2015, the Ninth Circuit 

Court of Appeals issued an order granting Federal Defendants’ motion to dismiss the appeal, and 

dictated that the order “shall serve as and for the mandate of this court.” Doc. 119. The Ninth 

Circuit’s order represents the “final order disposing of any appeal” and September 15, 2015 is 

therefore the date of “final judgment” in this action. See Doc. 119; see also 28 U.S.C. § 

2412(d)(1)(B).

2. Concurrently with this joint motion and stipulation, the Authority has filed a motion for 

an award of attorneys’ fees and other expenses for this litigation. Before filing the motion for award 

of attorneys’ fees and other expenses, the Authority presented Defendants with a confidential request 

to settle its claim, which request includes the amount sought to date, an itemized statement of the 

actual time expended by attorneys, experts, and other personnel representing or appearing on behalf of 

the Authority, the rates at which fees and other expenses were computed, and an itemized statement of 

other expenses incurred in the litigation. Defendants are, thus, in receipt of the information specified 

by the Equal Access to Justice Act (“EAJA”), 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d)(1)(B), as well as Local Rule 293, 

and will not be prejudiced by the Authority deferring the filing of memoranda, evidentiary and other 

materials supporting its motion at this time.

3. Discussions regarding the Authority’s request are ongoing, and the Authority and 

Defendants seek additional time to attempt to settle the Authority’s claims without unnecessarily 

burdening the Court. The Authority and Defendants agree that briefing and argument on the 

Authority’s claim for fees and other expenses may be unnecessary in light of the parties’ intent to 

Case 1:11-cv-00952-LJO-GSA Document 127 Filed 10/19/15 Page 2 of 4
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1258695.1 10355-037 2

STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING MOTION FOR ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND OTHER EXPENSES

attempt to settle the Authority’s claim.

4. Accordingly, the Authority and Defendants agree that further proceedings on the 

Authority’s motion for an award of fees and other expenses, including the filing of further memoranda 

and evidentiary and other materials supporting that motion, and any opposition thereafter, should be 

stayed for 120 days to allow for settlement discussions. 

5. At the conclusion of 120 days, the Authority and Defendants will apprise the Court of 

any settlement or further requested action, or jointly propose a briefing schedule to address the 

Authority’s motion for fees and other expenses if there has been no settlement. That schedule will 

provide for the Authority to supplement its motion for award of attorneys’ fees and other expenses 

with documentation of all time and expenses sought, including the additional time spent in seeking 

fees, opposition by Defendants, and reply by the Authority, with a hearing if the Court deems a 

hearing necessary.

Based on the joint stipulation set forth above, the parties respectfully request that this Court 

stay briefing and argument on the Authority’s concurrently filed motion for an award of attorneys’ 

fees and other expenses for 120 days from the date of the Court’s order granting such stay, in the 

manner provided above.

Respectfully submitted this 14th day of October, 2015.

Dated: October 14, 2015 KRONICK, MOSKOVITZ, TIEDEMANN & GIRARD

DIEPENBROCK ELKIN LLP

By: /s/ Daniel J. O’Hanlon

Daniel J. O’Hanlon

Eileen M. Diepenbrock

Attorneys for Plaintiff SAN LUIS & DELTAMENDOTA WATER AUTHORITY 

Case 1:11-cv-00952-LJO-GSA Document 127 Filed 10/19/15 Page 3 of 4
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1258695.1 10355-037 3

STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING MOTION FOR ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND OTHER EXPENSES

Dated: October 14, 2015 BENJAMIN B. WAGNER

United States Attorney

J. EARLENE GORDON

Assistant United States Attorney

JOHN C. CRUDEN

Assistant Attorney General

By: /s/ Devon Lehman McCune

DEVON LEHMAN McCUNE

Senior Attorney

U.S. Department of Justice

Environment & Natural Resources Division

Attorneys for Defendants

IT IS SO ORDERED

Dated: October 16, 2015

 /s/ Lawrence J. O’Neill

 United States District Judge

Case 1:11-cv-00952-LJO-GSA Document 127 Filed 10/19/15 Page 4 of 4