Cases: Landlord/Tenant

Fee Clause Interpretation, Landlord-Tenant: Landlord Winning Malicious Prosecution Suit Against Former Tenants Was Properly Denied Contractual Fee Recovery

Cases: Fee Clause Interpretation, Cases: Landlord/Tenant

Narrow Breadth Of The Lease Fee Shifting Provision Sealed The Result.             The 2/2 DCA in Vaughn v. Darwish, Case Nos. B296693/B305132 (2d Dist., Div. 2 Nov. 12, 2020) (unpublished), did express introductory exasperation about the length of the landlord/tenants’ dispute – going back to 2010, which generated 8 lawsuits, 8 appeals, and 5 writ […]

Allocation; Landlord/Tenant: $29,490 In Contractual Fees To Married Residential Tenants Prevailing In Unlawful Detainer Action Was No Abuse of Discretion

Cases: Allocation, Cases: Landlord/Tenant

Lack Of Hearing Reporter’s Transcript Hampered Review, But Attorney Efforts Benefitting Joint Tenants, Even If Attorney Only Formally Retained By One Tenant, Was Appropriate.             In Ahdoot v. Chernyavskiy, Case No. B303359 (2d Dist., Div. 2 Nov. 4, 2020) (unpublished), landlord lost an unlawful detainer on summary judgment to two married residents based on a

Landlord/Tenant, Substantiation Of Reasonableness Of Fees: $1,586 Fees Award To Landlord Affirmed Based On Inadequate Lack Of Substantiating Evidence

Cases: Landlord/Tenant, Cases: Substantiation of Reasonableness of Fees

$84,995.25 Was Requested; Only $1,586 In Fees Awarded.             Although there was no explicit appellate discussion on this issue, Triplett v. Decron Properties Corp., Case No. B295126 (2d Dist., Div. 1 Sept. 24, 2020) (unpublished) is a reminder for parties seeking fee recovery to provide sufficient evidence in support of a substantial request.  The particulars

Landlord/Tenant, Section 1717: Property Tenant Not Signing Lease Modification Properly Denied Fees On Numerous Theories

Cases: Landlord/Tenant, Cases: Section 1717

Civil Code Section, Third-Party Beneficiary, Equitable, And Judicial Estoppel Arguments Did Not Prevail.             In Onerent, Inc. v. Galanter, Case No. H046916 (6th Dist. Aug. 11, 2020) (unpublished), an occupant, who thought she was co-tenant, eventually prevailed against a landlord, although the proof showed she never executed lease modifications to make her a true tenant. 

Landlord/Tenant: 1/1 DCA Affirms $243,557 Attorneys Fees And $42,871 Costs Award To Landlord Who Successfully Moved For Judgment Notwithstanding The Verdict Following Tenants Short-Lived Jury Award Of $671,574 In Damages

Cases: Landlord/Tenant

Much To Tenants’ Dismay, This Case Clearly Demonstrates That A Successful JNOV Can Create A Significant Reversal Of Fortune.             A San Francisco apartment owner (landlord) served his tenants with an eviction notice, under section 37.9 of the San Francisco Residential Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Ordinance, when he sought to regain possession to allow him

Allocation, Landlord/Tenant, Prevailing Party, Reasonableness Of Fees: Prevailing Tenant Was Entitled To Prevailing Party Fees Under Oakland’s Tenant Protection Ordinance Fee-Shifting Provision As Against Defendant Landlord

Cases: Allocation, Cases: Landlord/Tenant, Cases: Prevailing Party, Cases: Reasonableness of Fees

However, Prevailing Party Properly Awarded Apportioned Fees Of $49,875 Rather Than Requested $318,214 In Fees Against Defendant Landlord; Prevailing Defendant Property Manager Improperly Granted Routine Costs Because Motion Did Not Mention That Defendant And Nothing Showed The Costs Were Incurred.             In Goins v. Williams, Case Nos. A152828/A153632 (1st Dist., Div. 3 Apr. 14, 2020)

Landlord/Tenant: Attorney Fees/Costs Award Of $895,163.42 In Favor Of Prevailing Landlord Affirmed, But $585,383.61 Damages Award Remanded For A Reduced Calculation

Cases: Landlord/Tenant

Despite Remand For A Recalculation Of Damages, The Fees/Costs Award Was Not So Disproportionate To The Value Of The Legal Services Provided So As To Equate To An Abuse Of Discretion.             In Alchemy Communications v. Carlsberg Lax Center, Case No. B278068 (2d Dist., Div. 1 December 3, 2019) (unpublished), commercial Landlord and one

Landlord/Tenant: Reversal Of Tenant’s Civil Harassment Restraining Order In Landlord/Tenant Dispute Did Not Require Fee Award In Landlord’s Favor

Cases: Landlord/Tenant

Trial Court Did Not Abuse Its Discretion In Denying Fees Under CCP § 527.6(s).             In Ewing v. Greenlee, Case No. A155828 (1st Dist., Div. 3 Aug. 30, 2019) (unpublished), a trial judge denied a discretionary request for a $15,000 attorney’s fees award by the prevailing party in a civil harassment.  Code of Civil Procedure

Fee Clause Interpretation, Landlord/Tenant: Guarantor Limitation Of Liability Provision Did Not Limit Fee Recovery

Cases: Fee Clause Interpretation, Cases: Landlord/Tenant

Guaranty Limitation Applied Only To Damages, Not To Attorney’s Fees Which Are Costs Instead.             In Valencia Gateway Retail IV, LLC v. Woltman, Case No. B288726 (2d Dist., Div. 5 Aug. 20, 2019) (unpublished), two defendant guarantors of a breached lease argued that a guaranty liability limitation—“equal to six months’ charges due under the lease”

Section 998: When Offeree Beats First Offer, Court Refuses To Freeze Offeree’s Costs At Time Of First Offer When Offeror Makes Second Offer

Cases: Landlord/Tenant, Cases: Section 998

Court Could Not Find Case On Point,  So It Was Guided By Statutory Purpose Of Section 998.         In Hersey v. Vopava, B287896 (2nd Dist. Div. 8 Aug. 14, 2019) (Stratton, Grimes, Wiley), the Court holds, "where an offeree achieves a judgment more favorable than a first offer, the determination of whether an offeree obtained

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