Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_06-cv-03337/USCOURTS-cand-4_06-cv-03337-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Embarcadero Technologies, Inc.
Counter-defendant
TTI Team Telecom Technologies, Inc.
Counter-claimant

Document Text:

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

EMBARCADERO TECHNOLOGIES, INC., a

Delaware corporation, 

Plaintiff,

v.

TTI TEAM TELECOM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.,

a Delaware corporation, and DOES 1

through 10, inclusive,

Defendants.

 /

No. C 06-3337 CW

ORDER GRANTING

PLAINTIFF

ATTORNEYS' FEES 

The Court granted Plaintiff Embarcadero Technologies, Inc.'s

motion to remand. Defendant TTI Team Telecom Technologies, Inc.'s

notice of removal was based on diversity jurisdiction, yet the

caption clearly states that both parties are Delaware corporations,

a fact not disputed. Noting that there was no merit to Defendant's

notice of removal, the Court found that awarding Plaintiff

attorneys' fees was appropriate. Now, the Court must determine

the appropriate amount of fees to award.

Case 4:06-cv-03337-CW Document 19 Filed 11/07/06 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Plaintiff's counsel filed a declaration, and supporting

documentation, stating that 8.1 hours were spent on legal services

relating to Plaintiff's motion to remand; counsel's hourly rate is

$350. Plaintiff requests that the Court order Defendant to pay

Plaintiff attorneys' fees in the amount of $2,835.

But, as Defendant points out in its reply, U.S.C. § 1447(c)

provides, "An order remanding the case may require payment of just

costs and any actual expenses, including attorney fees, incurred as

a result of the removal." The $2,835 requested by Plaintiff is not

a just cost. 

As soon as Defendant learned of its error in removing this

case, it acknowledged its mistake and filed a statement of nonopposition. Defendant states that, had Plaintiff's counsel

informed it that removal was improper, Defendant would have

immediately looked into it, realized its mistake and stipulated to

remand to State court; Plaintiff's motion to remand, and the

resulting expenses, would have been unnecessary. Before the motion

to remand was filed, Defendant's counsel spoke to Plaintiff's

counsel twice, but Plaintiff's counsel never mentioned that the

removal was improper. 

The Court agrees that Plaintiff's counsel should have spoken

with Defendant's counsel to see if a stipulation was possible. The

Court will not award Plaintiff attorneys' fees for unnecessary

work. Only one hour of work was necessary: the time it took to

read the notice of removal, to realize it was wrong, to confer with

opposing counsel, to draft a stipulation and to file the

stipulation with the Court. 

Case 4:06-cv-03337-CW Document 19 Filed 11/07/06 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Therefore, the Court GRANTS Plaintiff attorneys' fees in the

amount of $350 ($350 x 1). Defendant shall pay this sum to

Plaintiff's counsel within fourteen days of the date of this order.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: 11/7/06

 

CLAUDIA WILKEN

United States District Judge

Case 4:06-cv-03337-CW Document 19 Filed 11/07/06 Page 3 of 3