Opinion ID: 534410
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Timeliness of the Fee Application

Text: 73 The district court dismissed all claims against Ravi and Sood by order of November 26, 1986. Judgment was entered December 22, 1986. Ravi and Sood filed the fee application on March 31, 1987, so the fee application came about 100 days after entry of judgment. The district court did not address the timeliness question, even though plaintiff raised the argument below. It simply went on to the merits of the application. 74 Although there is no specific time limit for application for fees, this Court has held that the district court should deny the application if the delay is unreasonable. Masalosalo v. Stonewall Ins. Co., 718 F.2d 955, 957 (9th Cir.1983). In Masalosalo, we affirmed the district court's finding that a 100 day delay from entry of final judgment was not unreasonable. Furthermore, in Metcalf v. Borba, 681 F.2d 1183 (9th Cir.1982), we suggested that a strong consideration is whether the delayed application unfairly surprise[d] or prejudice[d] the affected party. Id. at 1187 (quoting White v. New Hampshire Dept. of Employment Security, 455 U.S. 445, 71 L.Ed.2d 325, 102 S.Ct. 1162 (1982)). Plaintiff does not contend that he was surprised or prejudiced. 75 The district court's apparent conclusion that the application was timely was not clearly erroneous.