As reported by Matt Fountain in a recent New Times post, the San Luis Obispo City Council has agreed to approve payment of $133,880 to some local attorneys who successfully represented nearly 100 homeless people charged with sleeping in their vehicles. A local superior court judge had ruled that the attorneys were entitled to the fees under the public attorney general statute in filing a lawsuit resulting in the dismissal of 99 criminal citations. The ruling compensated about 440 hours of work at an hourly rate just above $300.
Our homeless poor. 1872. Library of Congress.
Interestingly enough, the city had paid nearly $282,000 to fight the suit, according to the post, with the payment coming out of the city’s general fund.
Here is what the judge partially said in his fee ruling: “The unfortunate truth is that all types of civil litigation today are very expensive.”
Comments