Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_02-cv-06482/USCOURTS-caed-1_02-cv-06482-14/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Account Receivable

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GREG BRAUN, CASE NO. CV-F-02-6482 AWI LJO

Plaintiff, ORDER FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF 

EXPERT FEES RE ALLEGATION OF

vs. EVIDENCE TAMPERING

AGRI-SYSTEMS, 

Defendant.

 / 

By notice on March 15, 2006, Plaintiff Greg Braun sought monetary sanctions against defendant

Agri-Systems and its counsel Jon Doak and termination of Mr. Doak’s pro hac vice status for false

accusation that counsel Steven McGee tampered with evidence. By order on May 1, 2006, this Court

denied the request to revoke Mr. Doak’s pro hac vice status, but awarded monetary reimbursement

sanctions against Jon Doak in the amount of $1,800. In addition, this Court found that reasonable

sanctions should include those for retention of the Digital Mountain computer expert. Plaintiff requested

$6,128.83 for the expert’s time. The Court then directed that supplemental evidence be submitted to

establish this expense. By declaration filed on May 4, 2006, plaintiff directed the Court’s attention to

the appropriate evidence. In its order of May 1, 2006, the Court set forth the legal standards for which

the sanctions request would be evaluated. Accordingly, having considered the evidence, the Court

orders as follows.

Plaintiff seeks reimbursement of fees charged by his computer expert, Kevin Fagalde, for

$6,128.83. In Mr. Fagalde’s declaration filed on March 14, 2006 (Doc. 283), he states is the Director

of Computer Forensics for Digital Mountain and has twelve (12) years of experience doing forensic

Case 1:02-cv-06482-AWI -LJO Document 322 Filed 05/09/06 Page 1 of 2
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computer examinations. He also states he is certified by the FBI computer response team. Before

Digital Mountain, Mr. Fagalde was with the San Jose Police Department for 25 years where he was on

the high technology crime investigations unit, among other units. The Court finds that Mr. Fagalde is

qualified for the scope of the work performed. Moreover, the Court has not received an objection to his

qualifications. Attached as Exhibit A to Doc. 321 (Decl. Of Amanda Glenn) is the invoice from Mr.

Fagalde, Digital Mountain, for the work performed. This invoice was also attached as Exhibit A to the

Daniel O’Connell declaration filed on March 15, 2006.

The work listed in the invoice is described in Mr. Fagalde’s declaration and was necessary to

show that the disc(s) had not been altered. Plaintiff, however, has not fully carried his burden as to the

reasonable hourly rate charged by the expert or as to one person listed on the invoice who performed

work. First, the claimed hourly rate is $300 per hour. There is no discussion or evidence of the

reasonableness of this rate. Next, a person listed as “B. Borsari” performed eight (8) hours of

comparative index work and six (6) hours of visual comparison at $300/hr. The qualifications of B.

Borsari are not provided. In total “B. Borsari” charged 14 hours at $300/hour for a total of $4,200.

Accordingly, the Court finds that a reasonable hourly rate for a person of Mr. Fagalde’s

experience in this local community is $200 per hour. A reasonable hourly rate for a computer technical

assistant is $100 per hour. The Court finds as follows:

K.Fagalde - 9 hours at $200/hr is $1,800

B. Borasri - 14 hours at $100/hr is $1,400

Total $3,200.

Therefore, the Court GRANTS plaintiff’s request for reimbursement of expert witness fees

against Jon Doak in the amount of $3,200. As a result of this award and the Court’s prior sanction

award, the total sanction award against Jon Doak is $5,000 ($1,800 for reimbursement of attorneys fees

as awarded in this Court’s May 1, 2006 order (Doc. 320) and $3,200 as stated in this order.)

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 9, 2006 /s/ Lawrence J. O'Neill 

b9ed48 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:02-cv-06482-AWI -LJO Document 322 Filed 05/09/06 Page 2 of 2