The decision deals with costs following two hearings related to the appointment of a case management judge for the consolidated proceedings.
DLF Law Practice Incorporated and Donn Fraser (Plaintiffs) objected to the initial appointment but later consented to three out of four cases. The motions were filed by Mary Jane McDonald, Eric Atkinson, SPI Et Pomquet Inc., and others, including the firm Patterson Law (Defendants), leading to disputes about scheduling and procedure.
· Costs Rulings:
Main Motion: Costs of $1,000 were awarded against the plaintiffs, to be paid to the defendants represented by Mr. Giles, for the February 1, 2024 motion. The court found that the plaintiffs’ objections extended the process, even though they later consented to most of the appointments.
Appearance Motions: The plaintiffs were awarded $250 in costs for a separate motion (January 4, 2024), which was offset against their obligation.
Final Amount: The plaintiffs must pay $750 net to the defendants.
· Justifications:
The court followed Tariff C, suggesting $750-$1,000 for motions lasting between 1 hour and ½ day.
The plaintiffs were not fully successful but were given partial relief due to reasonable actions in scheduling.
