Judge rejects bid to cut BP claims czar's budget

9/30/2013

NEW ORLEANS — A federal magistrate has refused to order an additional $25.5 million in cuts to the proposed fourth quarter budget for the claims administrator handling BP’s settlement with Gulf Coast residents and businesses following its oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Sally Shushan ruled today that BP must fund the budget for the office of court-appointed claims administrator Patrick Juneau at “the revised $111 million within four working days.”

BP didn’t immediately comment on the ruling. It was unclear whether U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier would be asked to review the ruling. Last month, Barbier ordered the London-based oil giant to pay more than $130 million for Juneau’s third-quarter budget despite the company’s objections.

Shushan said any appeal of her ruling must be filed by noon Friday.