Attorneys Bill County for $307,982 for Lawsuit That Sheriff Gates Lost

Attorneys who won a civil rights lawsuit against Sheriff Brad Gates have submitted the bill for their services--$307,982.50--and under federal law, the county must pay.

But lawyers representing the county say the amount is “outrageous.” The attorneys’ fees, plus about $13,000 in court costs, amount to about 70% more than the jury awarded the attorneys’ client.

“We think the fees they’re asking for are not supportable, and we’re going to challenge them,” said Janine K. Jeffery of Los Angeles, one of the attorneys who defended Gates and the county.

The fees were specified in a motion filed by attorneys Michael J. Cisarik of Santa Ana and Meir J. Westreich of Glendale, who represented private investigator Preston Guillory.

Guillory’s suit was filed in 1985 and alleged that Gates used his investigators and influence to arrange for prosecution of Guillory on charges of impersonating an officer and illegally carrying a concealed weapon. Guillory was acquitted of all charges in 1985.

According to the lawsuit, Gates wanted to discredit Guillory, who had filed a previous suit against Gates, charging that Gates handed out concealed weapon permits as rewards to friends and campaign contributors. That suit is still pending is federal court and is scheduled for trial later this year.

Last March 15, after 4 years of trial preparation and 6 weeks of trial, a six-member jury awarded Guillory $144,894 for actual losses, such as lost wages, and $45,000 for suffering. Under federal law, if a plaintiff wins a civil rights suit, the loser is obligated to pay reasonable plaintiff’s attorney fees and court costs.

In their motion filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Cisarik declared that he worked 1,143.9 hours on Guillory’s suit and Westreich declared that he worked 616 hours. Both billed their time at $175 per hour, bringing the attorneys’ fees to $200,182.50 for Cisarik and $107,800 for Westreich.

Added to the fees are about $13,000 for such costs as taking depositions, serving subpoenas and transporting witnesses to Los Angeles, where the trial was held.

A hearing on the motion has been scheduled May 22 before U.S. District Judge Richard A. Gadbois Jr., who presided over the trial and has discretion in deciding how much Guillory’s attorneys will be paid.