Lawyers in Wilf hearing debate millions in legal fees, court costs

The final hearing in a 21-year-old civil lawsuit involving the Minnesota Vikings owners continued today with lawyers debating legal and accounting fees and other costs in the case.

By ccmitchell

December 13, 2013 at 5:15PM

The final hearing in a 21-year-old civil lawsuit involving Minnesota Vikings owners Zygi, Mark and Leonard Wilf continued today with lawyers debating legal and accounting fees and other costs in the case.

New Jersey Superior Court Judge Deanne Wilson heard debate over payments for a forensic accountant and fees for the attorneys of Josef Halpern and Ada Reichmann, who sued the Wilfs for fraud in 1980s real estate deal.

Wilson has already awarded the siblings $84.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages in the case after ruling that the Wilf brothers, Zygi and Mark, and their cousin, Leonard Wilf, committed fraud, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty and also violated the state's civil racketeering laws in dealings with their former business partners.

Arguments over the recommendation that the Wilfs pay another $15 million in costs have dominated the hearing this week.

With plans for a short day in court, the hearing will resume next week with Wilson deciding whether to delay awarding damages in the case pending appeal. She will also decide whether to disclose the Wilfs' net worth.

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