Opinion ID: 460116
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Award of Attorney Fees

Text: 28 Attorney fees were properly awarded in both Cook II and Cook III, pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 11. 10 Under this rule a pleading may not be interposed for any improper purpose, such as to harass or to cause unnecessary delay or needless increase in the cost of litigation. If a pleading is so interposed the court may award reasonable expenses incurred because of the filing of the pleading, ... including a reasonable attorney's fee. 29 Judge Schwartz found in Cook II that Cook had filed the action not to vindicate rights but to multiply proceedings and to put defendants and the courts to needless efforts and expense, and with the purpose of vexing, harassing and impeding the defendants in the proper performance of their duties under the law. Judge Ramirez, likewise, found in Cook III that Cook had filed the lawsuit in bad faith and for vexatious purposes. He stated that the lawsuit is a carbon copy of Cook's previous lawsuits, raising the identical cause of action, Cook's adding of new defendants in this lawsuit is an unjustified reprisal against officers of the court and other officials for lawfully exercising their constitutional and statutory duties during the pendency of Cook's previous actions.In Callow v. Amerace Corp., 681 F.2d 1242, 1243 (9th Cir.1982), this court affirmed an award of attorney fees as an appropriate deterrent to future frivolous suits, concluding that the express finding that Callow acted in bad faith was supported by the record and not clearly erroneous. 11 See also Press v. McNeal, 568 F.Supp. 256, 260 (E.D.Pa.1983). The award of attorney fees was proper in both cases. 12 30 We have considered Cook's other related contentions and find them without merit. 13