Opinion ID: 763784
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Other Litigation Costs

Text: 50 The Plaintiffs also appeal the district court's decision to deny recovery of $1,725 in costs from a non-testifying accountant. The award of costs is the type of discretionary ruling to which appellate courts should give virtually complete deference. Estate of Borst v. O'Brien, 979 F.2d 511, 517 (7th Cir.1992). Under 29 U.S.C. § 216(b), the FLSA fee shifting provision, a prevailing plaintiff may be reimbursed for a reasonable attorney's fee ... and costs of the action. The Plaintiffs contend that § 216(b) allows recovery of non-expert accounting fees for the audit calculating the Plaintiffs' overtime wages. 51 The statute at issue here, § 216(b), does not provide explicit statutory authority for the recovery of expert witness fees; it provides for the shifting of reasonable attorney's fees ... and the costs of the action. 29 U.S.C. § 216(b). Costs are defined in 28 U.S.C. § 1920 and do not include expert witness fees unless the expert is appointed by the court. 28 U.S.C. § 1920(6). The Plaintiffs argue, however, that the accountant's services were non-testimonial and, therefore, are not akin to the services of an expert witness. Instead, the Plaintiffs ask this Court to characterize the accountant's services as costs for obtaining the overtime wage accounting report, thus making the fee a cost within § 216(b). We are not persuaded by this argument, and, therefore, hold that the Plaintiffs' accountant was a non-testifying expert, and, as such, the accountant's fees incurred are non-recoverable. See Gray v. Phillips Petroleum Co., 971 F.2d 591, 596-97 (10th Cir.1992) (holding that a party's nontestifying expert fees in a FLSA claim are not recoverable as costs under § 216(b), absent an express statement in the statute that the expert's fees may be awarded). The district court did not abuse its discretion in denying the recovery of fees that accrued from services of the non-testifying expert accountant.