Opinion ID: 547645
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Additional Sanctions

Text: 60 Thoeren seeks attorney's fees and any other relief this court deems appropriate. Under Fed.R.App.P. 38 this court has discretion to award attorney's fees and single or double costs as a sanction for bringing a frivolous appeal. An appeal is considered frivolous if the result is obvious or the appellant's arguments are wholly without merit. Glanzman v. Uniroyal, Inc., 892 F.2d 58, 61 (9th Cir.1989). 61 The opening briefs in this case are frivolous. The arguments raised by Lewis are rehashings of the facts and present hardly any legal analysis. Because the new attorneys for Adriana substantially improve the arguments in the reply brief, we award attorney's fees and double costs against appellants and Lewis only, and not Adriana's new counsel. 62 Further, the opening briefs all use one-and-one half line spacing as opposed to the double spacing required by Fed.R.App.P. Rule 32(a). 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1927 authorizes sanctions for an attorney's failure to comply with our rules governing the form of briefs. See Hamblen v. County of Los Angeles, 803 F.2d 462, 464-65 (9th Cir.1986). Therefore, Lewis and Adriana are sanctioned for their failure to comply with Fed.R.App.P. 32(a). A separate order will be filed regarding the determination of the amount of the sanctions on appeal.