Author name: William M. (Mike) Hensley

Homeowner Associations, Prevailing Party:  Defendants Voluntarily Dismissed From Plaintiff Neighbors’ Lawsuit Were Properly Denied Fees Under Civil Code Section 5975

Cases: Homeowner Associations, Cases: Prevailing Party

Reason: Plaintiffs Obtained HOA Enforcement Against Defendants Such That Defendants Were Not Prevailing Parties. Even when a plaintiff voluntarily dismisses a lawsuit, the defendant is not necessarily the prevailing party under the Davis-Sterling Act’s fee shifting statute—because that determination depends on the reason for the dismissal and an assessment of who obtained their litigation objectives.  Such […]

Employment, Lodestar, Multipliers, Reasonableness Of Fees:  Trial Judge Did Not Abuse Its Discretion In Awarding Almost $4.9 Million In Attorney’s Fees To Successful FEHA Plaintiff

Cases: Employment, Cases: Lodestar, Cases: Multipliers, Cases: Reasonableness of Fees

Defense Litigating Long And Hard, If Unsuccessful, Can Anticipate Large Fee Award Against It. Bronshteyn v. Dept. of Consumer Affairs, Case No. B329890, et al. (2d Dist., Div. 8 Sept. 17, 2025) (published) illustrates how a defendant litigating hard by bringing multiple unsuccessful motions, prosecuting an unsuccessful merits appeal, and rejecting a lower CCP section

Appeal Sanctions: $10,000 In Sanctions Payable To Appellate Court Assessed Against Appellant’s Counsel For Filing Briefs Riddled With AI Hallucinations

Cases: Appeal Sanctions

Appeal Court Had Authority To Sanction For This Behavior. We now have the first California published appellate opinion disclosing the perils of using AI for preparing briefs and the consequences when fabricated authority is cited to the appellate court. In Noland v. Land of the Free, L.P., Case No. B331918 (2d Dist., Div. 3 Sept.

Employment, Prevailing Party: FEHA Plaintiff Did Not Prevail For Fee Award Purposes Where Employer Won A Same Decision Defense And No Damages Were Awarded To Plaintiff . . . .

Cases: Employment, Cases: Prevailing Party

Despite Plaintiff Proving Disability Discrimination Was A Substantial Motivating Factor In The Termination Decision. Because FEHA contains a pro-plaintiff fee shifting provision, plaintiff claimed she was the prevailing party, in Jong v. Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, Case No. B328357 (2d Dist., Div. 8 Sept. 9, 2025) (unpublished), because a jury found that disability discrimination was a

Cases Under Review

Cases: Cases Under Review

Across-The-Board Fee Reductions, Option-Based 998 Offers, And State Bar Probation Issues Are Under Review. Here are some attorney‘s fees issues pending for review before the California Supreme Court: 1.  Cash v. County of Los Angeles, S 291827, 111 Cal.App.5th 74 – – whether a trial court’s across-the-board reduction in fees triggers heightened scrutiny of the

Appeal Sanctions, Discovery: Denial Of Discovery Sanctions Was Nonappealable, $1,500 Discovery Sanctions Was Nonappealable, And $6,500 Discovery Sanctions Was No Abuse Of Discretion

Cases: Appeal Sanctions, Cases: Discovery

Appellant’s Counsel Assessed With Frivolous Appeal Sanctions Of $30,000 Morales v. City and County of San Francisco, Case No. A170154 (1st Dist., Div. 3 Sept. 4, 2025) (published) highlights a lesson for all practitioners: sometimes it is better not to appeal non-appealable orders and not to challenge discovery rulings, which are by and large discretionary

Allocation, Costs, Employment: Trial Court Did Not Abuse Its Discretion In Denying Costs To The Winning Defendant On Non-FEHA Claim

Cases: Allocation, Cases: Costs, Cases: Employment

Defense Should Have Apportioned In Its Moving Papers Or Asked For Supplemental Briefing Opportunity.             In Janisse v. MLK-L.A. Healthcare Corp., Case No. B326593 et al. (2d Dist., Div. 4 Sept. 3, 2025) (unpublished), plaintiff brought FEHA/whistleblower, and non-FEHA claims against defendant. Plaintiff lost all of her claims after a jury trial. The defense

Civil Rights: Mentally Disabled Prevailing Party Entitled To Fees Where Confidential Records Disclosed Negligently Or Willfully And Knowingly To Others Not Entitled To See Them

Cases: Civil Rights

Welfare & Institutions Code Section 5330(d) So Provides.              In Doe v. County of Orange, Case No. G064562 (4th Dist., Div. 3 Sept. 2, 2025) (published), the appellate court reminds us that Welfare & Institutions Code section 5330(d) allows a mentally disordered person to recover reasonable attorney’s fees, on a mandatory basis, by a

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