Calif. Judge orders disabled patron to pay nearly $30,000 to city in library cat case

Judge orders man to cover city's legal fees in library cat case

Last modified Saturday, July 31, 2004 10:29 PM PDT By: BEN FRUMIN - Staff Writer, North County Times

ESCONDIDO ---- A disabled man has been ordered to pay nearly $30,000 in attorneys' fees incurred by the city of Escondido defending a lawsuit stemming from the attack nearly four years ago on his assistance dog by a cat living in the city library, officials said Saturday.

"The case was frustrating for our office from the beginning," Senior Deputy City Attorney Steve Nelson said Saturday. "We put a lot of time and energy into it."

Nelson said Superior Court Judge Yuri Hofmann on Friday ordered Richard Ramon "Rik" Espinosa to pay the city $29,362.50 ---- 25 percent less than the city's request for $225 per hour for 174 billable hours.

Comments

[Mary]

You know, I love cats, especially Blackie and Lightning who live with me. But I don't think cats have any place living in a library. Some people are extremely allergic - my Michigan librarian friend's throat closes up when she's around cats.