AIG-Hank Greenberg Fee Battle. AIG has announced that it has settled long-standing legal disputes with its former chairman, Maurice “Hank” Greenberg. The parties have also agreed to release each other from all claims, including Mr. Greenberg’s claims against AIG for payments of future legal fees and expenses. The settlement also covers AIG’s former CFO […]
Second District, Division 6 Finds Lack of Record to Show Fees Were Excessive. Without sounding preachy, seriously, folks, if you are going to appeal, give the appellate court some authority and an adequate record. If not, you will be in the stance of the losing litigant in the next case we look at—having little
Fifth District, in Published Decision, Supports Broad Equitable Powers of Probate Courts. Probate contests are often donnybrooks between different beneficiaries or relatives. This next one was certainly that. However, the losing minority beneficiaries caused the trustee to expend lots of attorney’s fees, which were recouped when the probate court ruled they could be obtained
Second District, Division 4 Affirms Costs Award in Favor of Prevailing Party. In Marina Glencoe, L.P. v. Neue Sentimental Film A.G., Case No. B203163 (2d Dist., Div. 4 Dec. 2, 2009) (unpublished), prevailing party defendant in a dismissed contractual breach action obtained a routine costs award of $14,697.58, which was appealed by the losing
First District, Division 3 Makes These Points In Affirmance and Reversal of Rulings Below. Marriage of Polony, Case No. A123954 (1st Dist., Div. 3 Nov. 30, 2009) (unpublished) underscores two points among many that we have discussed previously on our blog. Point #1 is make sure you timely appeal a fees order—and do
Substantial Fee Award Reversed Because Fees Provision Did Not Reach Noncontract Recovery, While Rest of Trial Court’s Fee/Costs Orders Affirmed on Appeal. In Gaggero v. First Federal Bank of California, Case No. B207273 (2d Dist., Div. 1 Nov. 30, 2009) (unpublished), Borrower voluntarily dismissed with prejudice his equitable, statutory and breach of contract claims,
Second District, Division 4 Opts to Create “Bright Line” Rule in this Case Involving First Impression Issue. So what happens when a defendant makes two separate pretrial settlement offers under Code of Civil Procedure section 998 but withdraws the second offer. Against which offer, if either, is the ultimate judgment measured for purpose of
California’s MICRA Reforms Figure Into National Debate on Health Care Issues. Dan Walters, a columnist with The Sacramento Bee, has penned an interesting column for the November 29, 2009 edition indicating how attorney’s fees may play a role in the national health care debate going on in Congress right now. His article is
Orange County Register So Reports In Recent Article. As reported by Cindy Carcamo in her article “Records detail nudity fight” in the November 27, 2009 edition of The Orange County Register, state officials (mainly from the California Department of Parks and Recreation) spent more than $42,000 in attorney’s fees battling a group of nudists
Fourth District, Division 3 Finds No Predicate Basis Under CCP Section 724.080 to Award Fees For Failing To Record a Judgment Satisfaction. Here is a Thanksgiving gift to everyone in a wild family law dispute. We knew that this one would be good when it began this way: “Family law cases, as we said
