Cases: Fee Clause Interpretation

Fee Clause Interpretation, Section 1717: Defendant Prevailing In Easement Dispute Was Entitled To Contractual Fee Award

Cases: Fee Clause Interpretation, Cases: Section 1717

Easement Agreement Fees Clause Was Broad Enough To Allow For Fee Entitlement.             In Stark v. Ortiz, Case No. A153680 (1st Dist., Div. 5 Jan. 24, 2019) (unpublished), defendant won contractual fees in a neighboring landowner easement dispute against a plaintiff. The parties had an Easement Agreement with a fees clause encompassing “any legal action […]

Fee Clause Interpretation, Prevailing Party: $53,791.79 Fees/Costs Award To Tenant And Against Landlord Affirmed On Appeal

Cases: Fee Clause Interpretation, Cases: Prevailing Party

Fee Clause “Any Right” Language Allowed Tenant To Recover For Landlord’s Misrepresentations.             Zhang v. Cheung, Case No. B282132 (2d Dist., Div. 7 Jan. 16, 2019) (unpublished) involved a situation where a landlord won only $16,200 in damages for breach of a lease, while tenant won $30,078.85 in damages from landlord for intentional misrepresentation and

Fee Clause Interpretation, Family Law: Husband’s Fees In Defeating Wife’s Orange County Action, Although Stipulated Judgment Entered In Los Angeles Family Law Court, Was Allowable Under Wording Of Stipulated Judgment Fees Clause

Cases: Family Law, Cases: Fee Clause Interpretation

“Court Intervention” Language Not Limited To Just One Court, 2/1 DCA Concludes.             In Pont v. Pont, Case No. B284064 (2d Dist., Div. 1 Dec. 20, 2018) (unpublished), ex-husband was awarded $90,000 in attorney’s fees and costs for defeating ex-wife’s claim that he siphoned off community assets in an Orange County action, after the parties

Fee Clause Interpretation: Broad Settlement Agreement Fees Clause Allowed For Recovery Of Fees In Fraudulent Stripping Of Assets Case

Cases: Fee Clause Interpretation

$188,000, After About $86,000 Reduction, Was The Sustained Fee Award.             In Langer’s Delicatessen, Inc. v. Sino Enterprises, Inc., Case No. B287333 (2d Dist., Div. 4 Nov. 28, 2018) (unpublished), plaintiff won an action for fraudulent stripping of assets by a defendant based on a prior judgment and a settlement agreement. The settlement agreement had

Fee Clause Interpretation, Reasonableness Of Fees: Appellant’s Failure To Discuss Fee Clause Entitlement Under Note Fees Clause And Failure To Provide Reporter’s Transcript (RT) Of Fee Hearing Doomed Merits Of Her Appeal

Cases: Fee Clause Interpretation, Cases: Reasonableness of Fees

Absence Of RT Can Be Fatal Indeed, Meaning Inadequate Record On Appeal.             Appellants need to address legal fee entitlement bases and provide a reporter’s transcript of a fee hearing when challenges are made to either the merits or the amount of fees awarded. We have posted many times about how appellate courts will rebuff

Fee Clause Interpretation: $178,255 Fee Award Against Guarantor Reversed As A Matter Of Law

Cases: Fee Clause Interpretation

Reason Was That Guarantor Guaranteed Orally, Not Assuming The Fee Clause Liability Under The Guaranteed Note With A Written Fees Clause.             In Khodagulyan v. Aminpour, Case No. B270330 (2d Dist., Div. 3 Sept. 6, 2018) (unpublished), a cross-complainant was found to be a prevailing party because he had incurred attorney’s fees to collect on

Deed Of Trust, Fee Clause Interpretation: Deed Of Trust Fees Clause Did Not Justify Recovery To Successful Litigant Really Suing For Real Estate Option To Purchase Agreement Lacking A Fees Clause

Cases: Deeds of Trust, Cases: Fee Clause Interpretation

Deed Of Trust Fees Clause Was Not Broad Enough To Encompass Real Estate Option Dispute.             We have somewhat, on a syllogistic basis, indicated how one can achieve success on a fee petition in past posts—and we may give more clues to follow in future posts. However, the first element is FEE ENTITLEMENT. You need

Fee Clause Interpretation: 4/3 DCA Reverses $9,000 Fee Recovery Against Estate’s Personal Representative/General Partner Who Was Not A Party To The Agreement With Fees Clause

Cases: Fee Clause Interpretation

Fee Clause Was Also Broad In Scope, But Nonsignatory Individuals Were Not Party To The Underlying Agreement.             In Mayhew Plaza Woodland Hills II, LLC v. Kelsey, Case No. G054435 (4th Dist., Div. 3 Aug. 6, 2018) (unpublished), plaintiff dismissed an individual defendant in his capacity as representative of an estate in an action alleging

Fee Clause Interpretation: Tenant/Assignee Under Lease Properly Awarded Partial Litigation Fees For Winning Contractual And Related Fraud Cross-Claims, But Properly Denied Fees Expended In Prevailing On Common Law Ejectment Cross-Claim

Cases: Fee Clause Interpretation

Lease Agreement At Issue Because Lease Term Had Expired; And, In Any Event, Ejectment Was Tort Claim Not Encompassed Within Narrower Fees Clause.             Compton Commercial Development Renaissance Plaza v. Taco Bell Corp., Case No. B283393 (2d Dist., Div. 4 Aug. 1, 2018) (unpublished) was a case where landlord sued former tenant/assignee Taco Bell for

Fee Clause Interpretation: Joint Tenant Liable For $237,080 In Attorney’s Fees Where Another Joint Tenant Obtained $210,750 In Compensatory Dmgs. To Lease Premises Where Both Parties Signed Lease, And Contribution Rights Were Involved to Landlord

Cases: Fee Clause Interpretation

Narrow Lease Clause Applying Broadly To “Any Party” Encompassed Fee Exposure With Respect To Actions Between Joint Tenants.            Sometimes small words make a difference in the interpretation of the scope of an attorney’s fees provision. In this instance, the words “any party” opened the door to fee exposure in a controversy between joint tenants with

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