In The News . . . . Stockton Bankruptcy Getting Pricey And Monrovia Spends $215,000 In Fees/Costs In Unsuccessfully Defending Food Truck Ban

Stockton Bankruptcy Case Expected to Clock in at $4.9 Million in Attorney’s Fees To Attorneys Representing City in Chapter 9 Bankruptcy Case.

     Scott Smith, in a September 7, 2012 post at Recordnet.com, informs us that Stockton officials expect its Chapter 9 bankruptcy to cost $4.9 million in attorney’s fees for this year, up from its set aside reserve estimate of $3.5 million. The additional $1.4 million will have to come from areas other than the city’s general fund, with the additional costs resulting from mediation efforts and creditor challenges to the city’s Chapter 9 eligibility. According to the post, Vallejo–represented by the same attorneys representing Stockton now as lead bankruptcy counsel–spent about $12 million in fees in the course of its 3-year bankruptcy.

Steamer Julia at the Levee.  Stockton, San Joaquin County.  1866.  Library of Congress.

Monrovia Spends $140,000 Itself and Agrees to Pay Another $75,000 to Plaintiff In Dispute Involving Enforcement of Food Truck Ban Ordinance.

     As reported by Nathan McIntire in a September 6, 2012 article in the Monrovia Patch, Monrovia has agreed to pay Social Mobile Food Vendors Association $75,000 in attorney’s fees as part of a confidential settlement under which Monrovia agreed to repeal an ordinance that had banned food trucks from its Old Town district. Monrovia has spent about $215,000 in fees and costs once the settlement fee component is factored in, meaning about $140,000 was spent in its own fees/costs to unsuccessfully defend the ordinance. Although the terms of the settlement were deemed confidential, the city was required to make the settlement public under the California Public Records Act. Go to the monrovia.patch.com website on this one, because it drew a lot of reader reaction.

Semmes Motor Co. Lansburgh Sea Food Truck.  1926.  Library of Congress.