Opinion ID: 549048
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: expenses incurred before filing complaint

Text: 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.