Laura K. Davis, et al. - Page 38




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          Court.  In connection with these cases, he supervised the                   
          activities of Mr. Tomsic, and, as supervisor, he familiarized               
          himself with the cases, discussed handling of the cases and                 
          issues presented, reviewed all documents that were prepared for             
          filing with the Court, and attended all proceedings concerning              
          the cases at the Las Vegas trial session.  He estimates that he             
          spent a total of 15 hours on these cases.                                   
               Respondent claims that it is reasonable to utilize hourly              
          charges of $150 and $200 for Messrs. Tomsic’s and Feinberg’s                
          time, respectively, in computing the lodestar amounts for these             
          cases.  Respondent argues that those are the same rates that were           
          allowed by the Court for the Commissioner’s trial and supervisory           
          attorneys in 2002, in Takaba v. Commissioner, 119 T.C. at 304-305           
          (2002).                                                                     
               Mr. Jones does not question the reasonableness of the hourly           
          rates claimed for either Mr. Tomsic or Mr. Feinberg.  Mr. Jones             
          has principally two objections to the award of excess costs.                
          First, he objects to respondent’s claim that all of the hours               
          expended by his attorneys are excessive and deserving of                    
          compensation.  Second, he claims that respondent fails to                   
          describe and substantiate the nature of the services rendered by            
          his attorneys.                                                              
               We see no merit to either of Mr. Jones’s objections.  As we            
          have made plain, these cases are without merit and never should             







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