Author name: Marc Alexander

Experts, Section 998: Trial Court’s Denial Of Plaintiffs’ Motion To Tax $27,926.41 In Defendant’s § 998 Expert Witness Fees Affirmed On Appeal.

Cases: Experts, Cases: Section 998

The Party Moving To Tax § 998 Expert Fees Has The Burden Of Showing That The Fees Are Either Not Properly Chargeable Or Unreasonable, Which Plaintiffs Failed To Do, And Substantial Evidence Supported The Trial Court’s Finding That It Was Not Inequitable To Award Expert Costs Against Plaintiffs.             In Mass v. City of San […]

Civil Rights: Partial Reversal Of FEHA Plaintiff’s Wins Necessitated A Reevaluation Of The Attorney Fees Awarded To Him

Cases: Civil Rights

Government Code § 12965(b) Authorizes A Court To Award Reasonable Attorney Fees To The Prevailing Party In A FEHA Action, But The Trial Court Has Discretion To Reduce The Award Where, As Here, A Plaintiff Achieves Only Limited Success.             In Moinuddin v. State of Cal., Dept. of Transportation, Case No. B297674 (2d Dist., Div.

Experts, Section 998, Special Fee Shifting Statutes: 1/5 DCA Affirms Denial Of Attorney Fees To Elder Abuse Act Plaintiff And Denial Of § 998 Expert Witness Fees To Prevailing Defendants

Cases: Experts, Cases: Section 998, Cases: Special Fee Shifting Statutes

Plaintiff Failed To Prove Harm As Required Under Welf. & Inst. Code § 15657.5(a) Because The Approximate $400,000 In Annuities Upon Which He Based Harm Had Been Returned Pursuant To A Probate Court Order More Than A Year Before Trial, But Defendants’ § 998 Offer Was Not Reasonable Nor Made In Good Faith Given The

Retainer Agreements, SLAPP: Self-Represented Plaintiff’s Attempt To Obtain A Refund Of A $1,500 Retainer Fee Evolved Into Two Adverse Costs Awards Totaling $2,111.40 And A $15,600 Adverse Attorney Fees Award

Cases: Retainer Agreements, Cases: SLAPP

Plaintiff’s Initial Non-Binding Arbitration Win Of $1,325 Was Vacated In Superior Court, So Plaintiff Hired A Paralegal Years Later To Help Draft A Complaint That Ultimately Invited A Motion To Strike.             Corey v. Mudgett, Case No. D077532 (4th Dist., Div. 1 June 22, 2021) (unpublished) does not directly involve the appeal of an attorney

Discovery, Sanctions: No Abuse Of Discretion In Trial Court’s Denial Of Plaintiffs’ Motion For $17,074 In Monetary Sanctions Against NonParty For Failure To Comply With Trial Court’s Discovery Order And For Order Requiring Further Production

Cases: Discovery, Cases: Sanctions

The Trial Court’s Finding That Nonparty’s Amended Responses And Production Were Adequate And In Compliance With Its Discovery Order In Ruling On Plaintiffs’ Request For A Contempt Sanction Against Nonparty Sealed The Results.             Husband and wife plaintiffs – suing over two loans, one for $11,327 and one for $427,000, they had made to defendants

Sanctions, Section 1717, Special Fee Shifting Statutes: 2/7 DCA Reverses Sanctions Imposed Against Builder Defendants For Violation Of Stay Order Regarding A Development Project Of Four Homes In The Coastal Zone Of Venice.

Cases: Sanctions, Cases: Section 1717, Cases: Special Fee Shifting Statutes

Stay Order Was Vague And Did Not Provide Builder With Information As To How It Was Supposed To Act Or What Conduct Would Violate The Stay.             In Rudisill v. California Coastal Commission, Case No. B299331 (2d Dist., Div. 7 June 22, 2021) (unpublished), two residents who opposed a development project consisting of four homes

Homeowners Association, Prevailing Party: No Abuse Of Discretion In Trial Court’s Determination That Plaintiffs Were Prevailing Party, Resulting In Fees Award Of $112,340, After Plaintiffs Dismissed Action.

Cases: Homeowner Associations, Cases: Prevailing Party

Plaintiffs Dismissed Their Action Only After Achieving Their Main Litigation Objective.             In Champir v. Fairbanks Ranch Assn., Case No. D077384 (4th Dist., Div. 1 June 22, 2021) (unpublished), plaintiffs sued homeowners’ association for breach of the CCR’s stemming from association’s decision to install traffic lights at a location not approved by a majority of

Celebrities, SLAPP: Jeff Bezos’ Girlfriend’s Brother Ordered To Pay $254,404 In SLAPP Fees To Mr. Bezos After Losing Defamation Suit

Cases: Celebrities, Cases: SLAPP

$1.7 Million In Fees Had Been Requested.             Michael Sanchez, a Hollywood talent agent and the brother of Lauren Sanchez (Lauren is Amazon’s Jeff Bezos’s girlfriend), sued Mr. Bezos for defamation arising from allegations that he leaked nude photos of Mr. Bezos to the press.  A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge dismissed the

Family Law: Increase Of Monthly Child Support From $989 To $10,658 And $20,000 Attorney Fees Award To Wife Reversed On Appeal

Cases: Family Law

Trial Court Adopted Wife’s DissoMaster Report To Calculate Awards, But It Reflected Wife’s Income At A Level Contradicted By Attachments To Her Incomplete Income And Expense Declaration And Lacked Supporting Documentation.             In Marriage of Behrend, Case No. B305380 (2d Dist., Div. 3 June 22, 2021) (unpublished), the trial court granted wife’s request for a

Deadlines, Discovery, Sanctions: Class Action Debt Collector Defendant Unsuccessfully Argues On Appeal That Renewed Discovery Motion Was Untimely And 1/3 DCA Affirms Monetary Sanctions Of $8,400

Cases: Deadlines, Cases: Discovery, Cases: Sanctions

The Trial Court Declared The Discovery Motion Moot When It Granted Summary Judgment To Plaintiff, But Motion Was Renewed After Remand, And Parties Were Returned To Same Positions They Would Have Been In If Plaintiff Had Defeated Summary Judgment In The First Instance.             In Timlick v. National Enterprise Systems, Case No. A160110 (1st Dist.,

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