Coenterprise, LLC v. Jones
- Jesse Furman
- 1:25-cv-00543
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 3
In Coenterprise v. Jones, Judge Furman reduced requested fees, awarded $119,320.34 in fees and costs, and ordered immediate enforcement.
Coenterprise, LLC receives a judgment for $119,320.34 in attorneys’ fees and costs. Kevin Donelson Jones is the defendant against whom the judgment is entered and may be subject to its immediate enforcement.
What happened
In Coenterprise, LLC v. Jones, the court had already entered judgment against Kevin Donelson Jones and allowed Coenterprise to seek reasonable legal fees and costs. Coenterprise requested $196,534.54, and Jones did not oppose the request.
The court found that the lawyers’ hourly rates, total hours, and partner hours were unreasonable for the case. It reduced the requested legal fees by 40%, awarding $115,821.30 in fees, plus $3,499.04 in costs.
Judge Furman ordered the Clerk of Court to enter judgment for Coenterprise in the total amount of $119,320.34 and allowed the award to be enforced immediately. The court also ordered Coenterprise to promptly serve the opinion and resulting judgment on Jones.
The detailed version
- Coenterprise, LLC v. Jones · No. 1:25-cv-00543
- Jesse Furman
- June 30, 2025
Background
On May 15, 2025, the court entered a default judgment against Defendant. It also granted Plaintiff’s request to seek reasonable attorneys’ fees under 18 U.S.C. § 1836(b)(3)(D), ordered Plaintiff to submit an accounting of its legal expenses, and gave Defendant 21 days to oppose that submission.
On June 5, 2025, Plaintiff filed a declaration, an exhibit, and a proposed order requesting $196,534.54 in attorneys’ fees and costs. Defendant did not file an opposition within the allowed period.
Court’s Analysis
The court explained that it did not need to review every billing entry individually. After reviewing Plaintiff’s filings, it concluded that counsel’s hourly rates, the total hours worked, and the number of hours billed by partners rather than associates or paralegals were excessive given the nature of the case.
The court therefore reduced Plaintiff’s claimed attorneys’ fees across the board by 40%. It awarded $115,821.30 in attorneys’ fees and $3,499.04 in costs.
Ruling
The court ordered that Plaintiff be awarded attorneys’ fees and costs totaling $119,320.34. It also ruled that enforcement of the award need not be delayed and directed the Clerk of Court to enter judgment in Plaintiff’s favor for that amount.
Finally, the court ordered Plaintiff to promptly serve Defendant with the opinion and the resulting judgment by email, consistent with the court’s March 4, 2025 order.
Disposition
The opinion grants a fee and cost award after an earlier default judgment, reduces the requested fees, enters judgment for $119,320.34, and permits immediate enforcement. This is an ancillary fee ruling rather than a decision on the underlying legal claims.
Read the full 3-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.