Author name: Marc Alexander

Prevailing Party, Special Fee Shifting Statute: State False Claims Act Fee-Shifting Statute Applies To Defendant Prevailing On Just The False Claim Act Claims Rather Than The Action As A Whole

Cases: Prevailing Party, Cases: Special Fee Shifting Statutes

This Result Fosters Deterring Actions Without Foundation Brought By Government Against Private Entities/Persons.            The First District, Division 5, in John Russo Industrial Sheetmetal, Inc. v. City of Los Angeles Dept. of Airports, Case No. A151729 (1st Dist., Div. 5 Nov. 26, 2018) (published), dealt with a situation where a plaintiff contracted with the L.A. […]

Prevailing Party: Where Alter Ego Allegations Only Directed At Tort Claims With Narrow Fees Clause, Individual Cross-Defendant Beating Alter Ego Claims On Tort Claims Not Entitled To Fee Recovery

Cases: Prevailing Party

Narrow Fees Clause and Tort Claims Were The Determining Factors Here.             In Echeverria v. Cohen, Case No. B285085 (2d Dist., Div. 8 Nov. 26, 2018) (unpublished), plaintiff dental corporation sued defendant landlord over a commercial lease termination, and defendant cross-claimed against the tenant and tenant’s principal under an alter ego theory. Landlord prevailed on

Private Attorney General: Ninth Circuit Case Navigates Between Federal/State Court Claims And Determines That Plaintiffs Need A Shot At CCP § 1021.5 Private Attorney General Fee Recovery On Remand

Cases: Private Attorney General (CCP 1021.5)

Federal Versus State Interests Were Involved.             We commend you to read Independent Living Center of Southern California, Inc. v. Kent, No. 15-56142 (9th Cir. Nov. 21, 2018) (published), which reversed a district court’s denial of plaintiffs’ request for attorney’s fees following settlement of litigation concerning California’s Assembly Bill X3 5, which reduced the Medi-Cal

Discovery, Reasonableness Of Fees: 6 DCA Remands Determination For Prevailing Party Under Subpoena To Look Again At Amount Of Fees To Be Awarded

Cases: Discovery, Cases: Reasonableness of Fees

CCP § 1987.2 Prevailing Party Fees In Subpoena Context Might Depend On Who Met Litigation Objectives, Although The Test Is Not Crystal Clear.             John/Jane Roe v. Halbig, Case No. H043248 (6th Dist. Nov. 20, 2018) (published) is an interesting, but somewhat perplexing, opinion on the fees to be awarded to a party which ultimately

Reasonableness of Fees, Special Fee Shifting Statute: Trial Judge Correctly Denied $94,934 Fee Request To Prevailing Party Under Civil Harassment Fee-Shifting Statute

Cases: Reasonableness of Fees, Cases: Special Fee Shifting Statutes

Excessiveness Of Request Justified Entire Denial Of Fees Motion Demand.             If you request an excessive fee award, you can be slammed entirely under a lot of California fee-shifting statutes. One of the big cases is Chavez v. City of Los Angeles, 47 Cal.4th 970 (2010) [our Leading Case No. 13], where a FEHA request

Deeds Of Trust, Prevailing Party, Section 1717: Where Lender Did Get Ruling Saying Plaintiff Had To Repay Loan, That Was A Prevailing Party Determination

Cases: Deeds of Trust, Cases: Prevailing Party, Cases: Section 1717

Section 1717 Governed In This One, Given Broad Fees Clause In Deed Of Trust.             In PNG Investments, Inc. v. RG Real Estate Investments, Case No. B280229 (2d Dist., Div. 3 Nov. 20, 2018) (unpublished), plaintiff/cross-defendant won a real estate loan dispute against defendant/cross-complainant. Later, the trial judge awarded plaintiff/cross-defendant contractual attorney’s fees under a

Costs: Losing Party Properly Saddled With Opposing Expert Review Costs And With Trial Technician/Exhibit Preparation Expenses For Visually Displaying Evidence At Trial

Cases: Costs

About $23,750 In Non-Taxed Costs Were At Issue.             In Tsang v. Engelberg, Case No. A146379 (1st Dist., Div. 3 Nov. 19, 2018) (unpublished), a losing plaintiff was not happy when the lower court denied her motion to tax costs to the winning party for about $23,750, which included review time by a medical/psychiatric expert

Reasonableness Of Fees: $17,500 Fee Award Was Reasonable In Wrongful Foreclosure Action Dismissed After Plaintiff Failed To Amend Complaint

Cases: Reasonableness of Fees

Plaintiff Complained Fees Were For Pre-Trial Efforts, But They Were For Lawsuit Defense Efforts And Were Properly Awarded.             In Fung v. Oregon Trail Corp., Case No. B279366 (2d Dist., Div. 7 Nov. 19, 2018) (unpublished), defendant lender won an attorney’s award of $17,500 after the trial court dismissed a wrongful foreclosure action once plaintiff

Civil Rights, Section 998: 2/8 DCA Holds, For Pre-2019 Cases, That Plaintiffs In Nonfrivolous FEHA Suits Are Not Entitled To Costs Shifting Under CCP § 998

Cases: Civil Rights, Cases: Section 998

Panel Agrees With Reasoning In Arave Opinion So Holding.             Effective January 1, 2019, the Legislature has determined that plaintiffs in FEHA cases found to be nonfrivolous in nature do not face fee, costs, or expert witness fee exposure under the FEHA shifting statute or even under CCP § 998 after rejection of a 998

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