Free Memorandum in Opposition - District Court of Delaware - Delaware

Case 1 :04-cv—OO91 1-G|\/IS Document 174 Filed 05/O1/2006 Page 1 of 3
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE
I AN KOPACZ and ESTATE OF CATHY :
KOPACZ, :
Plaintiffs, : C.A. No. 04-911 GMS
v. :
DELAWARE RIVER AND BAY AUTHORITY, :
and CRAIG SWETT, :
Defendants, :
J AN KOPACZ,
Plaintiff, : C.A. No. 04-1281 GMS
v. :
DELAWARE RIVER AND BAY AUTHORITY,
Defendant. :
OPPOSITION OF DEFENDANT, DELAWARE RIVER AND BAY AUTHORITY TO
PLAINTIFF’S THIRD SUPPLEMENTAL PETITION FOR ALLOWANCE OF
COUNSEL FEES AND COSTS
Defendant, Delaware River and Bay Authority ("DRBA"), opposes the Plaintiff’ s Third
Supplemental Petition for Allowance of Counsel Fees and Expenses for the reasons stated at length
in its Brief filed in Opposition to Counsel Fees and Costs docketed with this Court at No. 166.
In addition, counsel fees (to the extent recoverable at all) are limited to the plaintiff s efforts
to recover maintenance and cure, which in this case was paid shortly after the verdict. Therefore,
plaintiff has no claim for any attomey’s fee incurred after the trial.
Furthermore, the time charged of 18.5 hours to file simple reply briefs to DRBA’s opposition
to the prejudgment interest and counsel fee petitions is excessive. Additionally, Kopacz did not
reserve his right in either the first or second supplemental petitions for allowance of counsel fees to

Case 1:04-cv-00911-GMS Document 174 Filed 05/O1/2006 Page 2 of 3
file any further fee applications. P1aintiff’s Third Supplemental Petition for Allowance of Counsel
Fees should be rejected as it was filed without permission or leave of Court.
WHEREFORE, Defendant, Delaware River and Bay Authority, respectfully requests that this
Court deny Plaintiff s petition to award counsel fees and costs.
OF COUNSEL: ROSENTHAL, MONHAIT & GODDESS, P.A.
Mary Elisa Reeves, Esquire p
DONNA ADELSBERGER By:/s/ Carmella P. Keener
& ASSOCIATES, P.C. Carmella P. Keener (DSBA NO. 2810)
6 Royal Avenue, P.O. Box 530 919 N. Market Street, Suite 1401
Glenside, PA 19038-0530 P.O. Box 1070
(215) 576-8690 Wilmington, DE 19899-1070
(302) 656-4433
[email protected]
Attomeys for Defendant,
` Delaware River and Bay Authority
2

Case 1:04-cv-00911-GMS Document 174 Filed 05/O1/2006 Page 3 of 3
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that on May 1, 2006, I electronically filed with the Clerk of Court
OPPOSITION OF DEFENDANT, DELAWARE RIVER AND BAY AUTHORITY TO
PLAINTIFF ’S THIRD SUPPLEMENTAL PETITION FOR ALLOWANCE OF COUNSEL FEES
AND COSTS using CM/ECF which will send notification of such filing to the following:
Donald M. Ransom, Esquire
Casarino, Christman & Shalk, P.A.
800 N. King Street, Suite 200
P.O. Box 1276
Wilmington, DE 19899
James J. Woods, Esquire
Law Office of James J. Woods, Jr., P.A.
P.O. Box 4635
Greenville, DE 19807
James S. Green, Esquire
Seitz, Van Ogtrop & Green, P.A.
222 Delaware Avenue, Suite 1500
P.O. Box 68
Wilmington, DE 19899
/s/ Carmella P. Keener QDSBA No. 2810)
Rosenthal, Monhait & Goddess, P.A.
919 N. Market Street, Suite 1401
P.O. Box 1070
Wilmington, DE 19899-1070
(302) 656-4433
[email protected]
cc: E. Alfred Smith, Esquire (via electronic mail)