Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_19-cv-00902/USCOURTS-caed-2_19-cv-00902-27/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 790
Nature of Suit: Other Labor Litigation
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Account Receivable

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

LIONEL HARPER, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, LLC, 

et al.,

Defendants.

No. 2:19-CV-0902-WBS-DMC

ORDER

Plaintiffs, who are proceeding with retained counsel, bring this civil action. On 

May 5, 2021, the Court granted Plaintiffs’ motion to compel and directed Plaintiffs to serve and 

file a declaration as to costs and expenses supporting their request for monetary sanctions against 

Defendant Charter. See ECF No. 133. Plaintiffs filed their declaration on May 10, 2021, and 

Defendant Charter filed a response on May 13, 2021. See ECF Nos. 136 and 137. 

Plaintiffs’ declaration establishes fees associated with the motion to compel in the 

amount of $19,980.00, reflecting an hourly rate of $450.00 per hour, and costs associated with the 

motion in the amount of $43.50, for a total sanctions request of $20,023.50. See ECF No. 136. 

In response, Defendant Charter contends: (1) the hourly rate charged by Plaintiffs’ counsel is 

unreasonable; and (2) the amount of time Plaintiffs’ counsel spent on the motion is unreasonable. 

See ECF No. 137. 

Case 2:19-cv-00902-WBS-DMC Document 168 Filed 08/30/21 Page 1 of 3
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Having reviewed the cases cited by the parties, the Court finds that the hourly rate 

of $450.00 per hour is reasonable and consistent with rates approved in this district. As to 

Defendant’s second argument, Defendant contends Plaintiffs should not be awarded sanctions 

reflecting the time Plaintiffs’ counsel spent on the request for evidentiary sanctions contained in 

the motion to compel. The Court agrees. In their motion to compel, Plaintiffs sought seven 

separate evidentiary sanctions. As Charter correctly notes, the Court found Plaintiffs’ requests for 

evidentiary sanctions procedurally defective and premature. The requests were denied without 

prejudice to renewal upon proper notice in compliance with the local rules. 

Given that Plaintiffs’ motion to compel was granted in part but denied as to the 

seven requested evidentiary sanctions, the Court will apportion its award of monetary sanctions 

pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(a)(5)(C). According to Plaintiffs’ counsel, 2.1 

hours were spent exclusively on research related to the improper request for evidentiary 

sanctions. See ECF No. 136, pg. 2, line 22. Counsel spent an additional 28.7 hours total 

preparing moving papers. See id. at lines 19-28. Of these hours, counsel does not specify how 

many were dedicated to the issue of evidentiary sanctions. 

A review of the docket reflects that Plaintiffs’ request for evidentiary sanctions 

was presented as a stand-alone motion filed concurrently with Plaintiffs’ motion to compel 

discovery. See ECF No. 118. This filing consists of 156 pages of argument and supporting 

exhibits. See id. Plaintiffs’ motion to compel and Plaintiffs’ portion of the supporting joint 

statement consists of a total of 103 pages of argument and supporting exhibits, reflecting 

approximately two-thirds of the total material submitted in support of both motions. The Court 

finds it reasonable, therefore, to reduce the amount of sanctions requested by approximately onethird, reflecting the amount of time it appears was spent exclusively on Plaintiffs’ request for 

evidentiary sanctions. 

/ / /

/ / /

/ / /

/ / /

Case 2:19-cv-00902-WBS-DMC Document 168 Filed 08/30/21 Page 2 of 3
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Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiffs’ are awarded monetary 

sanctions in the amount of $13,333.00, payable by Defendant Charter to Plaintiffs within 30 days 

of the date of this order. 

Dated: August 27, 2021

____________________________________

DENNIS M. COTA

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 2:19-cv-00902-WBS-DMC Document 168 Filed 08/30/21 Page 3 of 3