Uselton v. Commercial Lovelace Motor Freight, Inc.

• Decision Date: 28 October 1993
• Docket Number: No. 93-6068,93-6068
• Parties: William T. USELTON; W.D. Hupp; C.J. Dowling; Kenneth Miles; G.D. Jeffcoat; Jack Wilson; K.D. Witt; Paula Rosa; Johnny S. Hunt; James A. Mason; Robert E. Stuart; Jerry Don Casey; Maurice Uhrmacher; Loyd A. Duncan; Vernon Jordan; Hubert D. Williamson; J.W. Haris; D.L. Haralson; Harvey Leo Hess; Wood G. Ishmael; Harold W. Summers; Charles E. Stockton; Joe C. Gray; Earl G. Jackson; E.L. Whilhock; Melvin Carpenter; Robert T. Keener; Troy G. Carson; Jack L. Blankinship; Carl L. Davidson; J.F. Maxwell; Paul M. Warren; Jay W. Harned; E.H. Coulter; Earl E. White; Cleo C. McDaniel; Bobby F. Stansbury; Bill J. Anderson; Daniel A. Denny; Carl Lee Wilson; Leroy Barrett; James E. Lee; Donald L. Butler; L.W. Gonzales; Daisy "Maurene" Davis; Keith W. Braul; Jerry L. Edgemon; Gilbert L. Robles; Loyd E. Courtney; Hollis M. Mauldin; Johnny L. Johnson; Carmel M. Doern; TomThelkeld; T.L. Jones; Kenneth W. Hays; Jackie Jones; William Donley; Howard L. Mitchell; Earl D. Denton; Stanley R. Gomes; Jack P. Rowland; K.L. Billingsley; Earl L. Woffard; D.TD. Frizell; H.W. Richardson; Donald Kendrix; Betty Cox; James M. Woodward; Frank Thomas; Donald R. Winter; Jack Yarbrough; Finis M. Yocum; Tommy L. Kirkland; John A. Moyshen; Harold Allison; Marion McClelland; Leslie R. Walcher; Lloyd Fortune, Sr.; B.C. Evans; Raymond B. Horn; Leeha McCormick; Pete Wolf; Leon Hancock; William Anderson; Robert G. Porter; Eldon W. Bishop; E.B. Copeland; D.K. Hanshue; E.G. Dedmon; Leslie R. Walcher; Carl L. Holman; Kenneth W. Jackson; Joel Robinson; Charles Pemberton; Bruce O. Smith; T.D. Jack; James T. Johnson; Willie G. Loudermilk; Raymond Horn; George C. Tsoodle; Gerold L. Goad; B.J. Burrell; D.Y. Qualline; Frances M. McKye; Alonzo Anderson; Hoarce E. Reeves; Betty Moore; Billy R. Jenkins; Jerry A. Warren; C.J. Womack; Johnny Ballard; Kelley Ruminer; Deborah Yandell; Robert Ferguson; Claudie C. Weaver; John O. Stanley; William R. Bricker; Elen H. Spiva; Phillip Horne; Earl V. Griffin; Anna M. Burkett; James E.
• Court: U.S. Court of Appeals — Tenth Circuit

Page 849

9 F.3d 849

William T. USELTON; W.D. Hupp; C.J. Dowling; Kenneth

Miles; G.D. Jeffcoat; Jack Wilson; K.D. Witt; Paula

Rosa; Johnny S. Hunt; James A. Mason; Robert E. Stuart;

Jerry Don Casey; Maurice Uhrmacher; Loyd A. Duncan;

Vernon Jordan; Hubert D. Williamson; J.W. Haris; D.L.

Haralson; Harvey Leo Hess; Wood G. Ishmael; Harold W.

Summers; Charles E. Stockton; Joe C. Gray; Earl G.

Jackson; E.L. Whilhock; Melvin Carpenter; Robert T.

Keener; Troy G. Carson; Jack L. Blankinship; Carl L.

Davidson; J.F. Maxwell; Paul M. Warren; Jay W. Harned;

E.H. Coulter; Earl E. White; Cleo C. McDaniel; Bobby F.

Stansbury; Bill J. Anderson; Daniel A. Denny; Carl Lee

Wilson; Leroy Barrett; James E. Lee; Donald L. Butler;

L.W. Gonzales; Daisy "Maurene" Davis; Keith W. Braul;

Jerry L. Edgemon; Gilbert L. Robles; Loyd E. Courtney;

Hollis M. Mauldin; Johnny L. Johnson; Carmel M. Doern;

TomThelkeld; T.L. Jones; Kenneth W. Hays; Jackie Jones;

William Donley; Howard L. Mitchell; Earl D. Denton;

Stanley R. Gomes; Jack P. Rowland; K.L. Billingsley; Earl

L. Woffard; D.TD. Frizell; H.W. Richardson; Donald

Kendrix; Betty Cox; James M. Woodward; Frank Thomas;

Donald R. Winter; Jack Yarbrough; Finis M. Yocum; Tommy

L. Kirkland; John A. Moyshen; Harold Allison; Marion

McClelland; Leslie R. Walcher; Lloyd Fortune, Sr.; B.C.

Evans; Raymond B. Horn; Leeha McCormick; Pete Wolf; Leon

Hancock; William Anderson; Robert G. Porter; Eldon W.

Bishop; E.B. Copeland; D.K. Hanshue; E.G. Dedmon; Leslie

R. Walcher; Carl L. Holman; Kenneth W. Jackson; Joel

Robinson; Charles Pemberton; Bruce O. Smith; T.D. Jack;

James T. Johnson; Willie G. Loudermilk; Raymond Horn;

George C. Tsoodle; Gerold L. Goad; B.J. Burrell; D.Y.

Qualline; Frances M. McKye; Alonzo Anderson; Hoarce E.

Reeves; Betty Moore; Billy R. Jenkins; Jerry A. Warren;

C.J. Womack; Johnny Ballard; Kelley Ruminer; Deborah

Yandell; Robert Ferguson; Claudie C. Weaver; John O.

Stanley; William R. Bricker; Elen H. Spiva; Phillip

Horne; Earl V. Griffin; Anna M. Burkett; James E. Neal;

James McCampbell; Valorie Booker; J.W. Rackley; Ronnie J.

Steward; Clarence Burns; John L. Knapp; Ramon L. Wolfe;

W.A. Smith; Alan Prudhome; James E. Thompson; Henry S.

Baxter; Patsy R. Brock; Larry Joe Stafford; Daniel

Looney; Donald T. Kendrix; Ruel L. Monroe; Randall

Johnston; Douglas Webb; Roger L. Smith; Benny Shumway;

Bobby Johnson; Theal Crews; Arnett Richardson; Junior Lee

Golden; Jim Bob Keith; Bob L. Wilkerson; Jerry R.

Kennedy; James L. Freeman; Marvin E. Meek; Leroy Gray;

Leroy Hill; Lealus Thomas; A.W. Barnett; Donald L.

Mayfield; Jimmie Masters; Jmwa E. Poerwe; James E. Young;

Rickey D. Allen; William W. Partin; James E. Vap; Edith

J. Vap; John Reynolds; Arthur Golden; Joe C. Nixon;

Willie Joseph; John H. Heil; Donald H. Brechinsen; James

Altizen; William T. Wimmer; I.B. Boyd; E. Ferrell

Bussing; Jimmie L. Williams; Roy J. Sassano, Sr.; Eleanor

C. Mowery; Eugene D. Rider; George W. Baldwin; Garland R.

Hooper; Earl Joslin; Karen Nydick; Gerold Wagner; L.V.

Foreman; Don Lepley; E.J. Fidler; Claude W. Worley; Fred

M. Silver; Herbert L. Keith; Carl E. Davis; Paul Goodman;

Ronald C. Caudill; William P. Dodd; Dennis W. Crews;

Willis D. Keesee; Jerry D. Bass; R.T. Skelton; Delbert D.

Utsler; Don E. Bailey; Howard Whittenberg; Marcia C.

Long; A.C. Phillips; Jo Ann Martin; Leon Combs; Jerry C.

Forbes; J.R. Bishop; Billy Reeves; Farrell J. Pickens;

James Rushing; Richard Howells; Lawrence Shelton; Charles

Huckabee; Jmwa Axheowswe; Thomas Jaramillo; J. David

Smith; W.T. Young; Carl H. Davison; Sharon Key Harris;

Lew F. Fresdonke; Joe Knapp; Lesley E. Chapman; R.D.

Bivins, George W. Barton; Marion A. Neal; Rebecca

Crawford; Deatron I. Morgan; W.H. Nevels; Jim Oliver;

Clarence E. Smith; Robert Wilson; Linda Lekawski; Michael

P. Fundstein; Jerry L. Bender; William D. Beery; Donald

M. Larson; William J. Azlin; Dwight W. Rogers; Judy A.

Rogers; Walter R. Lewis; Charles Huckaboy; Barbara

Harwell; Rebecca Pearson; Molly Hoffman; Patricia

McCanlies; K.E. Sterrett; Thurman B. Nelson; Nelda M.

Carroll; Johnny Wallace; Guadalupe Rodriguez; Raymond

Davey; L.V. Davis; Bobby D. Price; Gary L. Passon;

Lanora Workman; John Davenport; Jimmie D. Jennings; Leo

Scruggs; Dallas Niblock; Leo Suggs; Stanley W. Moore;

John D. Horn; Anthony Spitzley; Manuel Sena; James F.

Ayres; Daniel A. Sikorsky; Albert E. Oyos; C.D. Ridgley;

Earl Greene; Salvador C. Perez; Cesar B. Sheen; Joe

Manuel; Benjamin Saenz; Arturo C. Marquez; Edward

Lavelle; Robert Rognon; Bernardo Saenz; Protacio S.

Abrego; Steven Moylan; Carl M. Lavender; Ruben D. Cota;

Manuel F. Gamez; Narcizo Reaza; Frank M. Hernandez;

Ronald Murdock; Jesse Terrazas; Jimmie Rodriguez; Manuel

R. Barrera; Howard Wing; Robert R. Contreras; Joe C.

Nixon; Oscar J. Munoz; Theresa A. Wright; Dora Perkins;

W.H. Hohensee; W.R. Gunn; Bob Kwnnixurr; Kenneth D.

Williams; Javier Adame; Manuel M. Holquin; Harry Hill;

Rick Skinner; Harold Mitchell; Vince Wolpoff; Warren

Yoder; William Salinas; John D. Lent; Carl Christiansen;

J.M. Ferez; Lisardo Jaramillo; Henry L. Hoskison; Bill

Bass; Bob Rognon; Fred Walling; Hector R. Mendoza;

Martin Bautista; Daniel A. Merkle; Roger A. Peterson;

Jack L. Bynum; Joel E. Henderson, Sr.; Marvin L. Wright;

C.R. Blades; Rolondo L. Galindo; Esequiel Barcena; Floyd

L. Biddlecome, Sr.; Ramon A. Rodriguez; Ruben Williams;

Alva J. Chaney, Jr.; Ceasar Val Verde; Gilbert Hernandez;

Victor Juarez; John L. Washington; David L. Carney;

Thomas Jaranille; James D. Weston; Ronald R. Murdock;

Tony C. Gonzales; Richard A. Sanchez; Shirley F. Bennett;

Bobby Derring; Fulton Marks, Jr.; Adolfo Elias, Jr.; D.

Patrick Wright; Norman E. Cardwell; Robert M. Ferguson;

Don R. Wheeler; J. Brannon; Robert A. Wesley; Alvin D.

Fitzgerald; James E. Rowe; Alfred M. Martinez; Berry R.

Raymondo; Carroll C. Abel; Oscar G. Powell, Jr.; Alvin W.

Green; Huey A. Fredeiu; Ben Saenz; Harold R. Dagne;

Britt Ingrid Keith; Robert M. Turner; Byron A. Bouchelle;

Carl F. Davis; Jerry I. Poindexter; Lee Roy Houston;

Clinton H. Reynolds; Nib E. Hill; David R. Hines; C.G.

Olson; Cleophos Frost; Bobby G. Decker; James Long;

Lorita A. Goya; Wayne T. Wells; Gerald A. Luton; Harold

Shea; Johnnie T. Henson, Jr.; Opal Lee Broussard; Homes

Kimble; Jerry Nohnager; Judy A. Rogers; Ilona Garrison;

Edward A. King, Alyce L. King; Evert L. Carroll; Ben H.

Marshall; Shirley J. Lamb; John William Edwards; Maurice

Cannon; Leroy

Phelps; J.D. Burkhalter; Rickki L. Barnes Bob J. Sharber; William D. Sandell; William E. Shockley Don Cutler; Nancy A. Bomhoff; Vaughn Bryant; Warren Rex Chapin; Herman L. Klaus; Willie L. Wixom; Billy O Hawkins; Jack D. Edwards; Rita Henry; Carl Holiday Douglas Messel; Diane J. Trigg; Tommy A. Howard; Norvell Lancaster; Bobby Bowling; P.J. Warren; Robert C. Anderson; Doyle C. Adams; Glenn D. Christians; Willard Terry; Bill Stewart; Jimmy King; Richard Borne; Johnny Warmoth; Franklin A. Nieley; Charles Norton; Glen Layton; Leo Thompson; D.L. Loman; Marland Glover; Bobby Bennett; Jery Chronister; Lawrence White; Donald Fitz; Odis Ward, Plaintiffs, v. COMMERCIAL LOVELACE MOTOR FREIGHT, INC., doing business as Lee Way Motor Freight, Inc., also known as C.L. Motor Freight; M.T. Alcox; W.D. Persavich; C.C. McCracken; N.L. Ingrum; H.J. Hill; G.W. McIntyre; Pepsico, Inc., doing business as Lee Way Motor Freight, Inc., a Delaware corporation, individually; S.E. Schroder; Lawrence F. Dickie; Judy Norman Davis; James English; Richard Campbell, Defendants. E.W. KELLER; Joseph C. Long; Trent W. Keller, Movants-Appellants, v. Douglas EASON, Appellee.

No. 93-6068.

United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit.

Oct. 28, 1993.

Joseph C. Long, Norman, OK, and E.W. Keller and Trent Keller, Keller, Fernald & Keller, Oklahoma City, OK, for movants-appellants.

David Pomeroy, Fuller, Tubb & Pomeroy, Oklahoma City, OK, for objecting class members.

Before LOGAN and BRORBY, Circuit Judges, and KANE, ^* District Judge.

LOGAN, Circuit Judge.

This appeal concerns the proper award of attorneys' fees out of a common fund created when the plaintiff class settled its underlying litigation with defendants. Class counsel, appellants herein, submitted a fee request for fifty percent of the settlement fund, which was formally opposed by separate counsel representing class members who objected to the request. ¹ Following a hearing, the district court awarded class counsel twenty-nine percent of the fund, or $507,500. Class counsel moved for reconsideration of that award, while objecting counsel requested a fee for services in preserving the common fund for the benefit of the whole class. The district court denied class counsel's motion and awarded objecting counsel a fee of $14,427.49. Class counsel appeal from both rulings. ² We affirm.

I

In Brown v. Phillips Petroleum Co., 838 F.2d 451 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 488 U.S. 822, 109 S.Ct. 66, 102 L.Ed.2d 43 (1988), this court distinguished common fund cases from statutory fee cases and recognized the propriety of awarding attorneys' fees in the former on a percentage of the fund, rather than lodestar, basis. Id. at 454-56; accord Swedish Hosp. Corp. v. Shalala, 1 F.3d 1261, 1268 (D.C.Cir.1993); Camden I Condominium Ass'n v. Dunkle, 946 F.2d 768, 774 (11th Cir.1991). We reconfirmed, however, the existing requirement that the district court determine the reasonableness of the fee and articulate specific reasons for its findings. Brown, 838 F.2d at 454. We also reaffirmed the relevance of the twelve factors originally developed for statutory fee determinations in Johnson v. Georgia Highway Express, Inc., 488 F.2d 714, 717-19 (5th Cir.1974), noting that their applicability and weight in common fund situations would undoubtedly be different. Brown, 838 F.2d at 454, 456.

Class counsel urge us to revisit the common fund considerations addressed in Brown and reformulate our approach to the reasonableness question in addressing their fee claim. Specifically, class counsel advocate a...