Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_04-cv-03798/USCOURTS-cand-4_04-cv-03798-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed Question: Fed Communications Act of 1934

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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1Plaintiff also requested $765.00 in fees it anticipated would be spent in connection with the hearing

on its Motion for Default Judgment. In its May 12, 2005 Order, the Court denied this request because no

hearing was held. 

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DIRECTV, Inc.

Plaintiff,

v.

ZANE MOORE,

Defendant.

 /

No. 04-3798 SBA

ORDER

On May 12, 2005, the Court granted Plaintiff’s Motion for Default Judgment and for costs. In

addition, the Court requested supplemental briefing on the issue of whether Plaintiff was entitled to

attorneys’ fees. On May 25, 2005, Plaintiff filed its supplemental brief. The Court hereby GRANTS

Plaintiff’s request for attorneys’ fees incurred in the instant action. 

DISCUSSION

Plaintiff DIRECTV is entitled to reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in prosecuting its

claims for violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2520(a). 18 U.S.C. § 2520(b)(3); Fed. R. Civ. P. 54. DIRECTV

requests $2,150.50 for attorneys’ fees incurred in the instant action. (See Motion for Default Judgment

(“Motion”) at 20.)1 The party requesting fees "bears the burden of documenting the appropriate hours

expended in the litigation and must submit evidence in support of those hours worked." Gates v. Rowland,

Case 4:04-cv-03798-SBA Document 33 Filed 06/06/05 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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2

In its May 12, 2005 Order, the Court found that Plaintiff had sufficiently justified the billing rate of

Sandeep Shah, an attorney for the Buchalter Firm. 

2

39 F.3d 1439, 1449 (9th Cir. 1994). “Attorneys fees” can also include paralegal fees. See Missouri v.

Jenkins by Agyei, 491 U.S. 274, 285 (1989).

Plaintiff has provided invoices for the amounts spent on the instant action. (Declaration of Sandeep

Shah in Support of Motion at Exh. E.) Plaintiff asserts that $1,295.50 was spent prior to preparation of the

Motion for Default Judgment. In addition, Plaintiff asserts that it has spent $855 in preparation of the

Motion for Default Judgment. 

In its May 12, 2005 Order, the Court found that the amount of fees incurred was reasonable. 

However, because Plaintiff failed to justify the billing rates for all but one of the individuals who worked on

the instant action, the Court ordered Plaintiff to file supplemental briefing. 

Plaintiff seeks fees incurred by seven people who worked on the instant action: Keli Osaki, Kristine

Collins, Marci Knighten, Jack Scharringhausen, Michael Westman, Julie Bentley, and Sandeep Shah.

According to the Supplemental Declaration of Sandeep Shah, Keli Osaki ($300/hour), is an attorney for

Buchalter, Nemer, Fields, & Younger (“Buchalter Firm”) who graduated from Pepperdine University

School of Law in 1995. Since that time, Ms. Osaki has continuously been engaged in the practice of

commercial and business litigation. Marci Knighten ($125/hour) is a paralegal for the Buchalter Firm who

holds a certificate from the University of California, Los Angeles’ Attorney Assistance Training Program. 

She has been practicing in the area of civil ligation since 1998. Kristine Collins ($135/hour) was formerly a

paralegal with the Buchalter Firm. Ms. Collins has over ten years of paralegal experience in the area of

litigation. Jack Scharringhausen ($235/hour) is an attorney for the Buchalter Firm who graduated from the

University of Southern California School of Law in 1999. Since that time, he has continuously been

engaged in the practice of business litigation. Michael Westman ($140/hour) is a contract paralegal for the

Buchalter Firm. Mr. Westman received a paralegal certificate from the University of California, Los

Angeles, in 1986, and has over sixteen years of litigation experience. Julie Bentley ($150/hour) is a

paralegal for the Buchalter Firm who received a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University,

Chico, in 1979. She has over eighteen years of litigation experience.2 Mr. Shah asserts that the rates

charged by these individuals are commensurate with the rates charged for similar services by comparable

Case 4:04-cv-03798-SBA Document 33 Filed 06/06/05 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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firms. The Court finds that Plaintiff has sufficiently justified the billing rates for fees incurred by the

Buchalter Firm. 

CONCLUSION

For the foregoing reasons, the Court GRANTS Plaintiff’s request for attorneys’ fees incurred in the

instant action. The Court awards Plaintiff $2,150.50 in attorneys’ fees for work performed by the

Buchalter Firm. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

 /s/ Saundra Brown Armstrong 

Dated: 6-6-05 SAUNDRA BROWN ARMSTRONG

United States District Judge

Case 4:04-cv-03798-SBA Document 33 Filed 06/06/05 Page 3 of 3