Opinion ID: 460232
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: concluson

Text: 46 More than four years have passed since the original fee petitions were filed, and a great deal of energy has been devoted to gaining attorneys' fees in the meantime. It would now be grossly unfair to remand to the district court to recalculate the fees more generously in light of our opinion. The time has come--indeed has passed--for determining and paying these fees. This court in a pinch, may independently review the record, or [ ] set the fee, Copeland, 641 F.2d at 902 & n. 43; see also In re Casco, 25 B.R. at 760. While this is not a process we like, nor wish to do often, we think it proper to do so here. Happily, the process is made feasible by our determination that the fees as originally billed are reasonable and appropriate, the more so if we take into account the fact that Moore and Shea have been denied the use of their money for these years. We have no hesitancy in ordering that Moore and Shea be paid the full fees billed for the work rendered in the labor arbitration proceedings, the Lenfest litigation and the DPU proceedings, and that they be reimbursed in full for their out-of-pocket expenses for work done on behalf of the railroad. 47 The orders of the district court as to the amount of attorney fees, paralegal compensation, and expenses are vacated and the case remanded with directions to pay to petitioner the amounts he originally billed. With respect to compensation for delay, we affirm the denial of such compensation except we vacate and remand for further inquiry into petitioner's possible right to interest from the special fund in accordance with our instructions supra. 48 So ordered.