Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_04-cv-04968/USCOURTS-cand-5_04-cv-04968-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 791
Nature of Suit: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Cause of Action: 29:1132 E.R.I.S.A.: Employee Benefits

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

1

 This disposition is not designated for publication and may not be cited.

2

 The Court’s Order of June 9, 2005, recites the factual background of this action, which

the Court will not repeat here.

Case No. C 04-04968 JF

ORDER GRANTING IN PART PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR FURTHER ATTORNEY’S FEES

(JFEX1)

**E-Filed 10/12/05**

NOT FOR CITATION

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC., et al.,

 Plaintiffs,

 v.

SEAORIA SIGNARS LEMA, et al.,

 Defendants.

Case Number C 04-04968 JF

ORDER1 GRANTING IN PART

PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR

FURTHER ATTORNEY’S FEES

[Docket No. 45]

Plaintiffs Sun Microsystems, Inc. and Sun Microsystems, Inc. Tax Deferred Retirement

Savings Plan (“Plan”) (collectively “Plaintiffs”) brought this action in interpleader pursuant to

the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 22 to

determine who among the seven Defendants is or are the proper beneficiary or beneficiaries of

Michael H. Lema’s account under the Plan.2 On June 9, 2005, the Court granted in part and

denied in part Plaintiffs’ initial motion for attorney’s fees and costs, awarding Plaintiffs the full

Case 5:04-cv-04968-JF Document 56 Filed 10/12/05 Page 1 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

3

 The Court’s calculation of attorney’s fees and costs awarded in its Order of June 9,

2005, was based on invoices showing legal work by Plaintiffs’ counsel through March 21, 2005.

2

Case No. C 04-04968 JF

ORDER GRANTING IN PART PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR FURTHER ATTORNEY’S FEES

(JFEX1)

amount of attorney’s fees and costs they requested—$16,086.21—charging $8,148.75 against

Michael-Anthony Lawrence Lema and the remaining $7,937.46 against the interpleaded fund.

Plaintiffs now move to recover from the interpleaded fund $12,860.00 in attorney’s fees

incurred in April and May 2005 in prosecuting this interpleader action that were not included in

their previous motion for attorney’s fees and costs.

3

 Defendant Seaoria Signars Lema opposes

the motion for further attorney’s fees “to the extent such fees were incurred by Plaintiffs in

contesting their right to attorney’s fees.” Opp’n at 1. Having considered the briefs and the

arguments of counsel at the hearing on October 7, 2005, the Court concludes that a further award

of attorney’s fees is appropriate but that the amount requested by Plaintiffs is excessive. Indeed,

granting Plaintiffs the full amount of attorney’s fees requested is not warranted by the recognized

policy reasons supporting the award of attorney’s fees to stakeholders. See Schirmer Stevedoring

Co. v. Seaboard Stevedoring Corp., 306 F.2d 188, 193-94 (9th Cir. 1962); see also Trs. of the

Dirs. Guild of Am.–Producer Pension Benefits Plans v. Tise, 234 F.3d 415, 426 (9th Cir. 2000)

(stating that awards of attorney’s fees are “properly limited to those fees that are incurred in filing

the action and pursuing the plan’s release from liability”).

Good cause therefore appearing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiffs shall be

entitled to a further award of attorney’s fees in the amount of $3,215.00, to be assessed against

the interpleaded fund.

DATED: October 11, 2005

 /s/ electronic signature authorized 

JEREMY FOGEL

United States District Judge

Case 5:04-cv-04968-JF Document 56 Filed 10/12/05 Page 2 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

3

Case No. C 04-04968 JF

ORDER GRANTING IN PART PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR FURTHER ATTORNEY’S FEES

(JFEX1)

This Order has been served upon the following persons:

R. Bradford Huss bhuss@truckerhuss.com 

Clarissa A. Kang ckang@truckerhuss.com 

Jonathan Marc Kaplan jonnymkap@aol.com 

Loren Nizinski elniz@aol.com, Lidiaa@mylalaw.com

Karen Elaine Phillips kphillips@truckerhuss.com 

Robert Frank Schwartz rschwartz@truckerhuss.com, pmahoric@truckerhuss.com

Case 5:04-cv-04968-JF Document 56 Filed 10/12/05 Page 3 of 3