Dantran, Inc. v. United States Department of Labor

COFFIN, Senior Circuit Judge.

After six years of litigation challenging the Secretary of Labor’s attempt to bar them from government contracting because of irregular payroll practices, appellants Dantran, Inc., and its principal, Robert C. Holmes, prevailed. This court ruled that, given the circumstances, “debarment would be a punishment totally out of proportion to the offense (and, therefore, contrary to the regulations).” See Dantran v. U.S. Dep’t of Labor, 171 F.3d 58, 74-75 (1st Cir.1999). Having achieved that outcome, appellants came back to court seeking attorney’s fees under the Equal…