Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-01072/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-01072-4/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 446
Nature of Suit: Americans with Disabilities Act - Other
Cause of Action: 42:12101 Americans with Disabilities Act

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28 This motion was determined to be suitable for decision without *

oral argument. L.R. 78-230(h). 

1

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

RODGER ROBINSON, )

) 2:07-cv-1072-GEB-KJM

Plaintiff, )

)

v. ) ORDER*

)

FRANCISCO PADILLA, )

)

Defendant. )

)

Plaintiff moves for $7,350 in attorney’ fees and $1,470 in

costs. Default judgment was entered against Defendant on Plaintiff’s

claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. §

12101 et seq., and California Civil Code sections 51 and 54.1;

Plaintiff was awarded $4,000 in compensatory damages under California

law and an injunction under the ADA requiring Defendant to make

modifications to his property. (Default J. at 2:3-10.)

The prevailing party in an ADA action may recover

“reasonable attorney’s fees, including litigation expenses, and

costs.” 42 U.S.C. § 12205. To determine whether a request for

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attorney’s fees is reasonable, courts in this circuit use the lodestar

method and multiply “a reasonable hourly rate by the number of hours

reasonably expended on the litigation.” Widrig v. Apfel, 140 F.3d

1207, 1209 (9th Cir. 1998). Plaintiff requests an hourly rate of

$250, declaring this rate is reasonable in light of his attorney’s

twenty-nine years of litigation experience and eight years focused

exclusively on ADA litigation. (Mot. at 3-4.) This request is

granted since this is a reasonable rate. See, e.g., Garcia v. Tariq,

2007 WL 2492614, at *2 (E.D. Cal. Aug. 30, 2007) (finding rate of $250

per hour reasonable in ADA default judgment case litigated by

Plaintiff’s attorney); Wilson v. Haria and Gogri Corp., 2007 WL

1795737, at *4 (E.D. Cal. June 20, 2007) (“Prevailing rates for ADA

litigation in Sacramento are $250 per hour for an experienced attorney

. . . .”).

Plaintiff requests fees for 26.4 hours spent litigating this

action. (Mot. at 2.) However, Plaintiff’s counsel spent 0.9 hours

“serving the Defendant.” (Mot. at 2.) Plaintiff’s counsel’s time

sheet reveals he sent a “letter to process server with instructions on

service,” “file[d] and serve[d] a Request to Enter [Defendant’s]

Default,” and “serve[d]” the certain papers on Defendant. (See Decl.

Thomas N. Stewart, III in Supp. of Pl.’s Mot. for Atty’s Fees &

Costs.) “[S]erving documents [is a] secretarial task” that cannot be

billed at the same rate as other attorney work. Martinez v. Longs

Drug Stores, Inc., 2005 WL 3287233, at *7 (E.D. Cal. Nov. 28, 2005)

(internal citation omitted). “Because [Plaintiff] failed to establish

a reasonable rate for this time, the court denies his request for fees

for the [0.9] hours of time [Plaintiff’s attorney] spent filing and

serving various documents.” Id. Therefore, Plaintiff’s recoverable

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hours are reduced from 26.4 hours to 25.5 hours, and Plaintiff is

entitled to $6,375 ($250 per hour multiplied by 25.5 hours) in

attorneys fees for litigating this action.

Plaintiff further requests fees for three hours spent

preparing the motion for attorney fees. (Mot. at 5.) “Time spent

preparing a motion for attorneys’ fees is generally compensable.” 

Cohen v. Williams, 2007 WL 174329, at *4 (E.D. Cal. Jan. 22, 2007). 

Since Plaintiff’s three hours spent preparing the motion is

reasonable, this request is granted.

Plaintiff also requests $1,470 in costs, which comprises a 

$350 filing fee, $45 for service of process, and $1,075 paid to an

expert for a site survey and declaration. (Mot. at 4.) This request

is granted.

Accordingly, Plaintiff is awarded $8,595 in attorney’s fees

and costs.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 7, 2008

 

GARLAND E. BURRELL, JR.

United States District Judge

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