Opinion ID: 549048
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Extra Costs

Text: 67 The Government also challenges two of the litigation expenses that the Claims Court awarded to the Yanceys. 68
69 While pre-litigation expenses are precluded from reimbursement under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 4654(c) (1983). Emeny v. United States, 526 F.2d 1121, 1124, 208 Ct.Cl. 522 (1975) (per curiam adopting the decision of the trial judge), the significant effort expended in the filing of the petition may be compensable under the statute if proper documentation were provided. Cloverport Sand & Gravel Co. v. United States, 10 Cl.Ct. 121, 124 (1986). Therefore, as long as the parties were given an opportunity to document and challenge the reasonableness of the pre-litigation expenses, we will defer to the trial judge's discretion concerning the award.
70 The trial court never addressed the Government's objection to reimbursement of the fees for the expert testimony of the Yanceys' son, Richard. The only evidence before the Claims Court was that Richard Yancey ordinarily charged $900. However, no evidence was ever presented that the Yanceys actually incurred any expense for their son's appearance and testimony. See Foster v. United States, 3 Cl.Ct. 738 (1983) (fees and costs must be incurred). In the absence of any proffer that the Yanceys actually incurred any expense for the appearance and testimony of their son at trial, the Claims Court erred in allowing the $900 claimed for his appearance.