Reimbursing intervenors for attorneys' fees
Intervenors in utility-law litigation are not generally entitled to collect attorney's fees, but some courts and Commissions are making exceptions. Court cases involving the Greene County Planning Board and the Power Authority of the State of New York illustrate the changes that are taking place on this question. Two state supreme courts, one in Nevada and one in California, have also affirmed a policy for reimbursement. New regulations were proposed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in December of 1979 to set up a one-year pilot reimbursement program for public litigant's fees in FCC proceedings. Comments on the FCC proposal noted that a reimbursement program would neither be aburden nor disruptive. The FCC sought congressional appropriation to get around the problem of whether it had the authority to set up such a program. Dissenting comments emphasize the danger of underwriting self-serving private goals rather than the public interest. (DCK)
- OSTI ID:
- 5377178
- Journal Information:
- Public Util. Fortn.; (United States), Journal Name: Public Util. Fortn.; (United States) Vol. 105:5; ISSN PUFNA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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