Opinion ID: 203277
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Supplemental Motion.

Text: The district court denied without explanation the plaintiffs' supplemental motion for additional attorneys' fees. The plaintiffs' last challenge implicates this ruling. A prevailing party in a civil rights action normally is entitled to attorneys' fees incurred in the pursuit of fees under section 1988. See, e.g., Brewster v. Dukakis, 3 F.3d 488, 494 (1st Cir.1993); Bond v. Stanton, 630 F.2d 1231, 1235 (7th Cir.1980) (collecting cases). In awarding such fees, the reasonableness requirement applies without diminution. See Lund v. Affleck, 587 F.2d 75, 77 (1st Cir.1978). Because litigating a fee petition is typically an uncomplicated exercise, fees for such work are often calculated at lower rates than those deemed reasonable for the main litigation. See, e.g., Brewster, 3 F.3d at 494; Gabriele v. Southworth, 712 F.2d 1505, 1507 (1st Cir.1983). Prevailing parties in civil rights cases also may recover reasonable attorneys' fees incurred in successfully litigating a variety of post-judgment motions. See, e.g., Webb v. Ada County, 285 F.3d 829, 835 (9th Cir.2002) (awarding fees for litigation related to enforcement of court-ordered relief); Weyant v. Okst, 198 F.3d 311, 316 (2d Cir.1999) (explaining that reasonable attorneys' fees are in order when a prevailing party takes action to realize upon, or to defend, a favorable judgment). These principles inform our treatment of this claim of error. The original fee application was hotly contested, and litigation over fees was required to perfect the plaintiffs' rights under section 1988. By the same token, the underlying judgments were not seasonably paid and collection efforts were at least arguably necessary. Finally, the plaintiffs were entitled to post-judgment interest up until the date that the damages judgments were paid. See 28 U.S.C. § 1961. Yet as of March 27, 2008, no accrued interest had been tendered. There is a presumption that the plaintiffs, as prevailing parties, are entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees with respect to these matters. See, e.g., Weyant, 198 F.3d at 316; McDonald v. Sec'y of HHS, 884 F.2d 1468, 1480 (1st Cir.1989). While there may be reasons why the plaintiffs are not entitled to recover further sums pursuant to the supplemental motion, none are apparent from the face of the record and the district court's opaque ruling sheds no light on that possibility. Without some reasoning sufficient to explain why recovery is inappropriate, there is no principled way in which we can uphold the outright denial of the supplemental motion. Accordingly, that order must be set aside and the matter remanded for reconsideration.