Opinion ID: 516947
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Amount Awarded

Text: 63 The district court imposed sanctions in the amount of $20,000 on Itel and its attorneys under Rules 11, 26, and 37 without specifying the sum actually awarded under each rule. Itel and Urquhart & Hassell each were ordered to pay $10,000 of the $20,000. Ehrentraut was to receive $5,000 and Chapman was to receive the remaining $15,000. We find no abuse by the district court in the amount assessed. 64 First, the district court correctly determined an appropriate sanction under Rule 11. Once a violation was found, the judge was mandated to impose sanctions. The choice of sanction was, however, within the trial court's broad discretion. Thomas, 836 F.2d at 876. In Thomas, we listed possible types of sanctions, noting the purpose of sanctioning: 65 [w]hether sanctions are viewed as a form of cost-shifting, compensating opposing parties injured by the vexatious or frivolous litigation forbidden by Rule 11, or as a form of punishment imposed on those who violate the rule, the imposition of sanctions pursuant to Rule 11 is meant to deter attorneys from violating the rule. 66 Id. at 877 (quoting Donaldson v. Clark, 819 F.2d 1551, 1556 (11th Cir.1987) (en banc) (emphasis added). Here the trial judge chose a monetary sanction as appropriate. 17 67 Itel and its counsel argue that even if monetary sanctions are appropriate under Rule 11, the amount should be reduced by the amount awarded under Rule 37. Under that Rule they can only be held responsible for the reasonable expenses caused by their failure to comply with discovery. See Batson v. Neal Spelce Associates, Inc., 765 F.2d 511 (5th Cir.1985). They assert that assessment of fees is limited only to those flowing from the specific abuses of the discovery process. See Stillman v. Edmund Scientific Co., 522 F.2d 798 (4th Cir.1975). This claim is fruitless, however, because we find the total amount awarded appropriate under Rule 11 without a finding under any other rule. 68 Even if Rule 11 did not cover the full amount awarded, it is clear the total amount of sanctions was also appropriate under the discovery rules. The district court clearly found Itel and its counsel to have continued unreasonably for several years the massive discovery requests after finding no additional evidence to support Itel's claim. Not one witness was produced with personal knowledge of any kickbacks. The district court cannot be said to have abused its discretion in the award of sanctions or the amount awarded.