In Pro Per Restrictions Do Not Apply to Representation by One’s Spouse. A plaintiff prevailed on a civil rights claim and then sought recovery for work done by her attorney spouse and a co-counsel non-spouse. The district judge awarded plaintiff fees charged by co-counsel in the amount of $13,770 (out of a requested […]
Water Connection Charge Was Reduced, But Winning Litigant Denied CCP § 1021.5 Fees. A home builders group and developer were denied a requested award of $150,000 in section 1021.5 fees even though a Water District substantially reduced a water connection/capacity fee for residential units to be constructed when the economy improves as a
Award Rejection and Petition to Vacate Arbitration Award Are Not “Action” Filing Equivalents. We have posted in the past on the importance of observing formalities when it comes to rejecting a nonbinding award in an attorney-client arbitration under the Mandatory Fee Arbitration Act (MFAA). Well, here is another unpublished decision that tells attorneys,
Senate Bill 189 Amendments Made This Happen. Every practitioner involved with mechanic’s liens should hopefully know, by now (or by reading this blog), that there are many changes made to the mechanic’s lien law by Senate Bill 189, some taking effect this year and some on July 1, 2012. One of July
In Panakosta Partners, LP v. Hammer Lane Management, LLC, Case No. C065812 (3d Dist. Sept. 27, 2011) (certified for publication), minority limited partners were hit with an adverse fee award of $38,784.50 when majority partners SLAPPed them for bringing a petition for buyout (to avoid a judicial dissolution) under Corporations Code section 15908.02.
Jim Gilchrist’s Minuteman Project Won Costs Award Against Ms. Courtney. In Orange County, many news and editorial reports have focused on the internal corporate battle for control of Jim Gilchrist’s Minuteman Project over the last couple of years. This maybe is one of the final battles with respect to a couple of the
$185,741.82 Was Costs Hit Against Plaintiffs, $167,570 Of Which Was Expert Witness Expenses. The next case teaches plaintiffs in difficult causation cases to carefully evaluate Code of Civil Procedure section 998 offers made by remaining defendants close to trial. Their rejection of an aggregate $10,000 offer, with a proposed mutual waiver of costs,
Reciprocity Principles of Section 1717 Prevailed. In Montana Bail Bonds, Inc. v. Mark, Case No. B228772 (2d Dist., Div. 2 Sept. 29, 2011) (unpublished), appellant plaintiff lost a suit against respondent defendants for failure to pay bail bond premiums where there was a bail bond agreement with a broadly worded fees clause. The
Righthaven Lacked Standing and Ordered to Pay Opponent’s Fees in Copyright Suit. As reported by Steven Green in a September 27, 2011 post at vegasinc.com, Righthaven LLC of Las Vegas lacked standing to file copyright infringement lawsuits in Colorado in a dispute concerning the Denver Post’s publication of a Transportation Security Administration Agent
Hearing Scheduled for October 24, 2011, With Unpaid Fees Being The Catalyst. This is “the gift that keeps on giving.” The latest in the MGA Entertainment-Mattel litigation, aside from Mattel’s likely upcoming appeal, is that Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (MGA’s law firm in the case) has moved to withdraw from representing MGA,
