In the recent hearing in Texas-based Energy Future Holding's (EFH) ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher S. Sontchi publicly commented from the bench that he thought the professional fees and expenses in the case had reached “over $200 million.”

Filed back on April 29, 2014, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, the colossal case has involved an army of attorneys representing a large number of different parties in the litigation. On Oct. 26, Sontchi issued the omnibus order awarding interim allowance of compensation for ser­vices rendered and for reimbursement of expenses during the second and third interim fee periods, in which he approved approximately $90 million in professional fees and expenses during the second and third interim periods.

Back in August 2014, Sontchi signed a joint agreement among the debtors, the U.S. trustee and the EFH unsecured creditors committee to set up a four-person panel called the fee committee to monitor the professional fees and expenses being charged in connection with the bankruptcy.