Opinion ID: 65337
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Interests, Attorney's Fees, and Costs

Text: In the conclusion of her briefs on appeal, V.P. summarily asserts that the district court improperly denied an award of attorney's fees and related costs for her attorney's work on the pendency reimbursement issue. V.P. further requests that the court award interest on the reimbursement for the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 Parish School costs from the date of the first payment made by V.P.'s parents and award all attorney's fees and related costs without reduction for all work done in this matter including this appeal. Finally, V.P. asks for the application of a multiplier of three times the amount due on the reimbursement and the attorneys fees and related costs, due to the extended time caused by the vexatious appeals of HISD, and the ... impact that this extended litigation has had on the family and V.P. HISD provides little response to V.P.'s requests, simply stating that the court should reverse the award of attorney's fees with respect to the 2004-2005 school year because it provided V.P. with a free appropriate public education and should deny V.P. attorney's fees and related costs for the 2005-2006 school year. In its final judgment in this case, the district court awarded V.P. her costs. Additionally, the magistrate judge granted in part V.P.'s post-judgment supplemental bill of costs and application for attorney's fees. Denied were fees for the portion of her attorney's time spent working on the 2005-2006 pendency reimbursement issue. The denial was based on the conclusion that V.P. was not a prevailing party with respect to that claim. The parties only briefly reference the attorney's fees awarded to V.P. for work on the 2004-2005 school year issues. The magistrate judge awarded such fees after both the final judgment and the notices of appeal were entered in this case. We find that this award is not presently before the court With respect to costs and attorney's fees for work associated with the 2005-2006 school year, the magistrate judge did not award V.P. any attorney's fees due to its conclusion that she was not a prevailing party on this claim. Because we reverse and render the district court's judgment regarding reimbursement for the 2005-2006 placement, we remand to the district court V.P.'s request for the attorney's fees and costs regarding this issue.