In rails-to-trails action in which United States’ conversion of owners’ property from railroad rights-of-way to recreational trails constituted taking as to 145 of 173 parcels, owners filed motion for attorneys’ fees and cost under Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (URA).
The Court of Federal Claims held that:
- Owners provided sufficient evidence that requested rates were reasonable under URA;
- Owners’ unsuccessful claims were distinguishable from their successful claims;
- Hours that owners’ counsel spent working on claims spreadsheets constituted administrative work and was, thus, not compensable under URA;
- Reduction in owners’ claimed billed hours would be appropriate due to block billing;
- Owners’ counsel’s 13 trips to conduct trail inspections and in-person meetings with landowners were reasonable;
- Reduction in claimed travel fees would be warranted; and
- Owners’ counsel’s time entries for billing were not excessive, duplicative, or unnecessary.