Opinion ID: 786874
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Amount of the Fee Award

Text: 25 PVUSD contends that the amount of the award was unreasonable, arguing that the court's calculation was not based on the prevailing market rate. PVUSD complains that the $250/hour rate used by the court was higher than that typically charged by defense counsel in this area, and that there is no documentary support for the amount of the fee paid by the Shapiros. 26 The district court cited Local Rule 2.20 in finding that Walker's fee petition and his hourly rate of $250 were reasonable. Rule 2.20 sets forth a number of factors to consider in determining the reasonableness of a fee request. 7 U.S. Dist. Ct., D. Ariz., Rule 2.20(c)(3). The court reasoned that (1) the lawsuit was time consuming, fact intensive and procedurally complex; (2) Walker appeared in state administrative proceedings, state appeals, federal district court, and the Ninth Circuit; and (3) as a solo practitioner, Walker was limited in his ability to accept other employment. The court also affirmed Walker's hourly rate of $250, taking into consideration Walker's familiarity with the IDEA and the contingent nature of his fee agreement with the Shapiros. The court rejected PVUSD's assertion that the $250/hour rate was high because PVUSD had proffered no affidavits to support its statements. Finally, the court stated that PVUSD had unnecessarily prolonged litigation, increasing the costs of the lawsuit, by insisting on litigating whether CID provided an appropriate education for Dori. The court quoted the ALJ, who emphasized that CID specializes in educating children like Dori and that to contend that CID did not provide an appropriate education was simply grasping at straws. 27 PVUSD offers no argument that would support a finding that the district court abused its discretion. PVUSD merely repeats its unsupported assertion that the $250 hourly rate was higher than the rate charged by its own attorneys. 28 PVUSD also challenges the lack of a document memorializing the fee agreement between Walker and the Shapiros. The Shapiros, however, included an affidavit by Walker in which Walker described the fee agreement, in support of their motion for attorney's fees. The district court did not abuse its discretion in determining the amount of the fee award.