Judge Reduced Supplemental Attorney Fees in Hicks Case
A federal judge awarded $135,795 for fee petition litigation, denying a request for over $357,000.
Updated on Sept. 25, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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U.S. District Judge John F. Murphy awarded Termaine Hicks’s attorneys $135,795 in supplemental fees following a wrongful conviction lawsuit. The court rejected a request for $357,000, citing excessive hours and the delegation of tasks to senior staff.
Why it matters
The ruling limits the compensation attorneys can claim when litigating their own fee petitions after successfully securing damages for a client. It highlights judicial oversight regarding the efficiency and reasonableness of legal billing practices in civil rights litigation.
Judge Murphy reduced requested supplemental fees by 30% for unreasonable time spent and an additional 35% for limited success. This follows a previous August award of roughly $5.17 million in total fees and costs.
The players
Termaine Hicks
He is the plaintiff who served 19 years in prison after a 2002 wrongful conviction that was later overturned.
John F. Murphy
He is a U.S. District Judge in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania who presided over the fee petition rulings.
City of Philadelphia
It is the municipal government that served as the defendant in the civil rights lawsuit alleging fabricated evidence.
The details
Termaine Hicks, who served 19 years for a 2002 wrongful conviction, sued the City of Philadelphia in 2022 alleging police fabricated evidence. While a jury awarded him $3 million in 2025, his counsel had initially sought $8.5 million in total attorney fees before the court intervened.
Timeline
Termaine Hicks was wrongfully convicted of rape in 2002.
Hicks filed his lawsuit against Philadelphia in 2022.
A jury awarded Hicks $3 million in 2025.
The court awarded roughly $5.17 million in fees in August 2026.
Judge Murphy issued the supplemental fee award on September 25, 2026.
Legal Context
This ruling follows the 2022 lawsuit filed against the City of Philadelphia regarding the 2002 wrongful conviction of Termaine Hicks. The court's decision mirrors broader trends in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to curb excessive legal billing by applying strict proportionality standards to fee petitions.
The ruling provides transparency into how tax-funded judgments and settlements are impacted by attorney fee awards in wrongful conviction cases. It serves as a reminder to the public of the significant legal costs associated with litigation stemming from historical police misconduct claims.
The takeaway
The court's decision signals that even in successful civil rights claims, fee requests remain subject to rigorous judicial review. Litigants and their counsel should prepare for heightened scrutiny regarding the efficiency of work delegated to senior attorneys.
Further reading
Learn more about local legal developments in Philadelphia Criminal Justice.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Law360.
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