A federal judge rejected a mother's claims that the court erred in reducing the attorney fee award below the amount actually billed in a case involving special education services and upheld the $483,668.80 remaining balance owed to her former attorneys with the Boston-based firm Kotin, Crabtree & Strong.

At the heart of the case, a woman identified as "Jane Doe," on behalf of her son, "John Doe," brought a suit against the East Lyme Board of Education for violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 2011. The U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut ultimately held that the defendant failed to provide the student with required services during the pendency of the case and ultimately awarded Jane Doe her out-of-pocket expenses for those services; a prospective compensatory education award in the amount of $203,478.10; and $537,728.82 in attorney fees and costs, according to the court's opinion filed Jan. 5.