Judge Velasquez Honors “Capped” Agreement Between the Parties.
In past posts of December 1, 2008 and June 15 and June 27, 2009, we have been following the attorney’s fees hearing in the case where The Orange County Register settled with carriers in a wage-hour class suit.
On July 16, 2009, Orange County Superior Court Judge David C. Velasquez sides with The Register, limiting fee recovery to no more than $12 million based on an agreement between each side that was vigorously disputed by plaintiffs’ lead counsel Daniel Callahan. Even though finding that a reasonable fee would have been $16 million, Judge Velasquez expressed his belief that he had to adhere to the “capped” arrangement. Plaintiffs had sought about $23.5 million in fees.
This may not be the end of things, however. Mr. Callahan has said he may appeal the decision.
For more on the results and aftermath of this hearing, see Peggy Lowe’s article “Attorney’s request for extra cash in Register case denied,” available for reading in the July 18, 2009 issue of The Orange County Register.