NEW ORLEANS — The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana has ruled that a reduction of attorneys’ fees is merited in the case of a woman suing a sheriff for his alleged disability discrimination.
Shawanda McGree filed a complaint on June 5 against Mike Treagre. The court has determined that its report and recommendation is approved and that the magistrate judge correctly determined attorney fee awards.
The plaintiff is a deaf individual who uses American Sign Language. She brought her action against the defendant as the sheriff of St. John the Baptist Parish for his failure to provide her with an effective means of communication for 20 years. The plaintiff has sought permanent injunction against the defendant's alleged discriminatory actions.
On Sept. 14, 2018, the parties settled all of the plaintiff’s claims except for her attorneys’ fees. The plaintiff filed a motion for an award of attorneys’ fees and the court referred that motion to Magistrate Judge Daniel Knowles III on Nov. 26, 2018. The motion was reassigned to Magistrate Judge Dana Douglas on Jan. 7, 2019. Douglas found the plaintiff’s motion was timely and that plaintiff was entitled to attorneys’ fees of up to $42,180, but not litigation expenses or costs. The defendant objected to the amount of attorneys’ fees and the statement that the plaintiff’s motion was timely.
The magistrate judge has found that the attorneys’ fees should be reduced by 20 percent in order to determine the amount that was reasonably expended.
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case No. is 2:18-CV-03341.