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Beachwood costs balloon to $41.6 million

By Lewis Rutherfurd [ lewis@hmbreview.com ]
Published/Last Modified on Friday, Dec 28, 2007 - 05:19:14 pm PST

Attorneys for developer Charles Keenan, who won a $36. 8 million judgment against Half Moon Bay in the Beachwood land-use case have filed for legal fees and other costs that add $3.5 million to the bill. Together with a previously granted request for about $1.3 million in interest, the Beachwood decision now stands to cost Half Moon Bay $41.6 million.

Two filings Friday for legal fees and court costs come to more than $3.5 million. U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker granted about $1.3 million in pre-trial interest to Keenan's team recently.

A hearing on the motion for legal fees is set for Feb 14 in Walker's court.

John Knox, the chief appellate attorney for the city, said he expected the filing and that the amounts were consistent with his previous understanding of the costs.

In the filings, lawyers for Keenan noted that Half Moon Bay had spent $5 million to fight the case and that attorneys from their firm were paid less than the rates given by the city's new appellate team. The filing also noted that the city paid one expert witness $350,000 as an example of the contentious and expensive legal battle that justifies their claims for reimbursement.

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