CHAPTER 1: VIRGINIA ATTORNEY FEE AWARDS (back to top)1.1 GENERAL OVERVIEW
1.101 Virginia Follows American Rule
1.102 General Approach to Awarding Fees
1.103 Exceptions in Which Fees are Allowed
1.2 PROCEDURE
1.201 Rule 3:25
1.202 Time for Making Demand for Fees
1.203 Fee Requests Must Be Pleaded with Specificity
1.204 Proof of Fees Must Be Presented at Trial
1.3 TYPE OF CASES WHERE ATTORNEY FEES AWARDED PURSUANT TO
STATUTE
1.301 Prevailing Party
1.302 Substantially Prevailing Party
1.303 Award Where Appropriate
1.304 Statute Vests Courts with “Discretion” to Award Fees
1.305 Miscellaneous Statutes
1.306 Motor Vehicle Dealer Fraud
1.4 CONTRACT PREVAILING PARTY CLAUSES
1.401 Generally
1.402 Prevailing Party Defined
1.403 Interpreting Fee Recovery Clauses
1.404 Examples of Prevailing Party Clauses and Cases
1.5 CONTRACT INDEMNIFICATION/PROTECTION OF RIGHTS CLAUSES AND
CASES
1.501 General Rule
1.502 Examples of Indemnification Contracts
1.6 OTHER BASIS FOR RECOVERING ATTORNEY FEES
1.601 Sanctions—Frivolous Lawsuits, Litigation Abuse
1.602 Quantum Meruit
1.7 EXCEPTIONS TO THE AMERICAN RULE
1.701 Third Party Suits—Attorney Fees as Damages
1.702 Fraud
1.703 Trustee Good Faith Defense
1.704 Alimony/Support Disputes
1.705 Malicious Prosecution
1.8 AWARDS ON APPEAL
1.801 General Summary
1.802 Rule 1:1A
1.803 Original Fee Award
1.9 STANDARDS OF REVIEW AND BURDENS OF PROOF
1.901 Standard of Review
1.902 Burden of Proof
1.10 METHODOLOGY OF DETERMINING ATTORNEY FEES
1.1001 General Approach
1.1002 Establish a Prima Facie Case
1.1003 Assessing Reasonableness of Request
1.1004 Proving Reasonableness
1.1005 Determining a Reasonable Hourly Rate
1.1006 Contingency Fee Cases
1.1007 Other Issues
1.11 COSTS
1.1101 General Rule
1.1102 Recoverable Costs
1.1103 Costs Not Awarded
1.1104 Appeal Costs
1.1105 Costs Recoverable by Contract
1.1106 Burden of Proof
1.1107 Procedure for Determining Taxable Costs
APPENDIX 1: FORMS FOR USE IN VIRGINIA COURT FEE PETITIONS
CHAPTER 2: SANCTIONS BY VIRGINIA COURTS (back to top)2.1 BASIS FOR SANCTIONS AND GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
2.101 In General
2.2 SECTION 8.01-271.1 OF THE VIRGINIA CODE
2.201 In General
2.202 Purpose of Statute
2.203 General Considerations
2.204 Pleading Must be Grounded in Fact
2.205 Pleading Must be Warranted by Law
2.206 Pleading Must be Proper
2.3 PARTIES SUSCEPTIBLE TO SANCTIONS
2.301 Both Parties Partially Responsible
2.302 “Coordinated Effort” Violations
2.303 Disregard of Counsel’s Advice
2.304 Spoliation of Evidence and False Deposition Testimony
2.305 Failure to Provide Basis for Allocating Fault
2.306 Effect of Attorney-Client Privilege
2.4 SANCTIONABLE VERSUS NON-SANCTIONABLE
2.401 In General
2.402 Appropriate Sanctions—Considerations
2.403 Available Sanctions
2.404 Pending Motion for Sanctions May Still be Ruled upon after Entry of
Nonsuit
2.405 Sanctions Warranted
2.406 Sanctions Not Warranted
2.5 INHERENT POWERS
2.6 TYPE OF SANCTIONS
2.601 Licensure
2.602 Monetary Sanctions
2.7 RULE 4:12
2.701 In General
2.702 Violation of Court Orders
2.703 Prejudice Not Required
2.704 Appellate Review
2.705 Cases Where Sanctions Warranted
2.706 Cases Where Sanctions Not Warranted
2.8 RULE 4:1 (G)
2.801 In General
2.802 Sanctions Warranted
2.9 APPELLATE REVIEW OF SANCTION AWARDS
2.901 Abuse of Discretion Standard
2.902 Contempt
CHAPTER 3: FEDERAL ATTORNEY FEE AWARDS (back to top)3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.101 In General
3.102 Lodestar
3.103 Johnson/Baber Factors
3.104 Perdue Rules
3.2 PROCEDURAL:FILING A PETITION FOR ATTORNEY FEES
3.201 Filing Requirements Under Rule 54
3.202 Eastern District of Virginia
3.203 Western District of Virginia
3.204 Ruling on Claim for Fees Pending Appeal
3.205 Fees and Costs for Appellate Work
3.3 TYPES OF CASES WHERE ATTORNEY FEES AWARDED
3.301 Common Law Basis for Attorney Fees
3.302 Federal Statutes that Have Fee Shifting Based on Prevailing Party
Provisions
3.303 Federal Statutes that Have Fee Shifting Based on “Whenever Appropriate”
Provision
3.304 Attorney Fees Awarded Against the United States
3.305 Federal Statutes Have Differing Standards for the Awarding of Attorney
Fees to Prevailing Parties
3.306 Statutes that Award Attorney Fees to “Substantially Prevailing Party”
3.307 Statutes that Award Attorney Fees to Successful Litigants
3.308 Statutes that Contain Provision Awarding Attorney Fees Whenever
Appropriate
3.309 Statutes that Simply Vest District Courts with “Discretion” to Award
Attorney Fees
3.310 Other Basis for Attorney Fees
3.311 Contracts with Prevailing Party Clauses
3.4 STANDARDS OF REVIEW AND BURDENS OF PROOF
3.401 Abuse of Discretion
3.402 Burden of Proof: Clear and Convincing Evidence
3.5 METHODOLOGY OF DETERMINING ATTORNEY FEES: LODESTAR
METHOD
3.501 General Approach
3.502 Reasonableness
3.503 The Twelve Johnson/Kimbrell Factors
3.504 Degree of Success Obtained by the Plaintiff
3.505 Lack of Proper Documentation
3.506 Excessive, Duplicative, or Unnecessary Hours
3.507 Downward Departure Based on Other Factors
3.508 Upward Departure from Lodestar
3.509 Determining a Reasonable Hourly Rate
3.510 Recent Cases—Approved Hourly Rates
3.511 Contingency Fee Cases
3.512 Other Issues
3.6 METHODOLOGY OF DETERMINING ATTORNEY FEES: PERCENTAGE OF
RECOVERY METHOD
3.601 In General
3.602 Seven Factors
3.603 Lodestar Check
3.7 OTHER METHODOLOGIES USED FOR DETERMINING ATTORNEY FEES
3.701 In General
3.702 Market Approach
3.703 Auction Method
3.8 BANKRUPTCY COURT
3.801 Statutory Basis
3.802 Awards to Trustee and Trustee’s Counsel
3.803 Determining Reasonable Compensation—Eastern District of Virginia
3.804 Debtor’s Counsel
3.805 Fee Applications
3.806 “No Look” Fees in Chapter 13 Cases
3.9 COSTS
3.901 Federal Rule 54
3.902 28 U.S.C. § 1920
3.903 Timing for Filing for Taxable Costs
3.904 Procedure for Determining Taxable Costs
3.905 Enforcement of Local Rules
3.906 Burden of Proof
3.907 Standard of Review on Appeal
3.908 Possible Costs
3.909 Other Issues Regarding Costs
3.910 Non-28 U.S.C.
APPENDIX 3: FORMS FOR USE IN FEDERAL COURT FEE PETITIONS
CHAPTER 4: SANCTIONS BY FEDERAL COURTS (back to top)4.1 BASIS FOR SANCTIONS AND GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
4.101 In General
4.102 American Rule
4.2 RULE 11 SANCTIONS
4.201 Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
4.202 Purpose of Rule 11
4.203 Rule 11 Applies to Attorneys, Parties and Pro Se Parties
4.204 Filings
4.205 Timing of Motion
4.206 Safe Harbor Provisions
4.207 Identification of Specific Conduct Required
4.208 Oral Misstatements
4.209 Specific Sanctions Available under Rule 11
4.210 Applicability and Scope of Rule 11
4.3 28 U.S.C. SECTION 1927 SANCTIONS
4.301 In General
4.302 Application to Pro Se Litigants Uncertain
4.303 Standard and Considerations for Imposing Sanctions
4.304 Situations Where Sanctions Warranted
4.305 Situations Where Sanctions Not Warranted
4.4 COURT’S INHERENT POWERS’ SANCTIONS
4.401 In General
4.402 Sanctions Available under Inherent Powers
4.403 Specific Cases
4.5 SANCTIONS FOR DISCOVERY ABUSE
4.501 Basis for Sanctions
4.502 Available Sanctions
4.503 Test for Determining Whether to Impose Sanctions under Rule 37
4.504 Warning to Party Prior to Sanctions
4.505 Cases
4.506 Due Process Concerns
4.6 RULE 56(h) SANCTIONS
4.601 In General
4.602 Application
4.603 Due Process Requirements
4.604 Cases
4.7 RULE 26 (g) SANCTIONS
4.701 In General
4.702 Cases
4.8 SANCTIONS UNDER RULE 16 (f)
4.801 In General
4.802 Cases
4.9 OTHER BASIS FOR SANCTIONS
4.901 Perjury/Subornation of Perjury
4.902 28 U.S.C. Section 1447(c)
4.10 BURDENS OF PROOF IN MOTION FOR SANCTIONS
4.11 APPELLATE REVIEW OF SANCTIONS AWARDS
4.1101 Abuse of Discretion
4.1102 Review of A Magistrate Judge’s Report and Recommendation
4.12 CONTEMPT
4.1201 In General
4.1202 Civil Contempt
4.1203 Criminal Contempt
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES INDEX