Cases: Lodestar

Lodestar, Retainer Agreements: After Lower Court Determined That Retainer Agreement Was Unconscionable And Determined Client Owed Nothing Under A Quantum Meruit Recovery, The Appellate Court Reduced The Contractual Fee Award To Client For Dilatory Conduct

Cases: Lodestar, Cases: Retainer Agreements

This Case Shows How, Even On Appeal, Justices Will Try To Balance Equity On Fee Awards. In Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae v. Yakobi, Case No. B338762 et al. (2d Dist., Div. 8 Apr. 3, 2026) (unpublished), a client won a fee dispute against her former attorneys, with the lower court finding certain provisions […]

Lodestar, Substantiation Of Reasonableness Of Fees: Deed Restriction Document Gave Rise to Contractual Attorney’s Fees

Cases: Lodestar, Cases: Substantiation of Reasonableness of Fees, Miscellaneous

$144,210 Was The Fees Award, With Attorney Declaration Of Efforts Sufficient And Rejecting The Notion That City’s Lead Counsel’s Salary Guided The Lodestar Analysis. In City of Santa Monica v. Sung, Case No. B336881 et al. (2d Dist., Div. 4 Mar. 10, 2026) (unpublished), defendant condo owner lost a declaratory relief action brought by City

Lodestar: Ninth Circuit Determines That Size Of The Law Firm Alone Should Not Compel A Reduction In An Attorney’s Fees Award

Cases: Lodestar

The Winning Attorneys In A 4-Man Firm Had An Impressive Robison-Patmas Act Litigation Record. In L.A. Int’l Corp. v. Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc., Case Nos. 24-3776 et al. (9th Cir. Feb. 24, 2026) (published), a 4-man firm obtained a substantial liability determination and permanent injunction on behalf Wholesales in a Robinson-Patman Act case, with the

Laffey Matrix, Lodestar, Reasonableness Of Fees, SLAPP, Substantiation Of Reasonableness of Fees: $50,305 SLAPP Appellate Fee Award To Prevailing Defendants Is Affirmed On Appeal

Cases: Laffey Matrix, Cases: Lodestar, Cases: Reasonableness of Fees, Cases: SLAPP, Cases: Substantiation of Reasonableness of Fees

Lower Court Reduced The Requested $95,519.88 In Appellate Fees To Almost Half. In Malik v. Carlson & Gevelinger, Case No. C101751 (3d Dist. Feb. 20, 2026) (unpublished), prevailing defendants earlier had been awarded SLAPP trial level fees of $14,960 (out of a requested $37,917.48) against plaintiffs, with the lower court reducing for requested hourly rates

Deadlines, Lodestar, Probate, Reasonableness Of Fees: In Probate Quabble, $63,958.75 To A Prevailing Party For Appeal Fees Was No Abuse Of Discretion

Cases: Deadlines, Cases: Lodestar, Cases: Probate, Cases: Reasonableness of Fees

Payment By Appellant Did Not Waive Appeal Rights; Trial Court Implicitly Extended Fee Motion Filing Deadline Due To Docketing Issues. In Skytte v. Skytte, Case No. G064930 (4th Dist., Div. 3 Jan. 26, 2026) (unpublished), a probate dispute among certain family members may be approaching a close after an award of appellate attorney’s fees of

Allocation, Homeowner Associations, Lodestar: Plaintiff Replacement Trustee Losing Condo Fire Repair Lawsuit Under Governing Documents And Interrelated Tort Claims Properly Assessed With Attorney’s Fees In Favor Of HOA And Condo Manager

Cases: Allocation, Cases: Homeowner Associations, Cases: Lodestar

$102,547.50 Was The Award, With No Apportionment Necessary And With It Being Reasonable In Nature. LaPay v. The Fairways Homeowner’s Assn., Case No. E082827 (4th Dist., Div. 2 Jan. 23, 2026) (unpublished) is a case showing how an HOA acted reasonably in making fire-related damage repairs when it could not locate an owner and demonstrating

Consumer Statutes, Lodestar: Lower Court’s 87.6% Reduction In A Lemon Law Fee Request Was Reversed As An Abuse Of Discretion Based On The Record On The Lodestar Analysis

Cases: Consumer Statutes, Cases: Lodestar

Awarding $15,000 In A Lemon Law Case Requesting $81,455.83 In Fees/Costs Was Not Fair And Required A Revisit. In Rosales v. Nissan North America, Inc., Case No. G063792 (4th Dist., Div. 3 Jan. 22, 2026) (unpublished), a settlement was reached in a lemon law case where attorney’s fees became the important issue at the back

Homeowner Associations, Lodestar: $52,076 Fee Award To Prevailing Homeowner In Director Election Challenge Is Affirmed On Appeal

Cases: Homeowner Associations, Cases: Lodestar

Lack Of Reporter’s Transcript Meant There Was An Inadequate Record, But The Lower Court Correctly Applied Lodestar Principles In Fashioning An Award. Plaintiff homeowner successfully challenged an HOA board of directors election in Cruschen v. Annandale Townhouse Assn., Case No. B341189 (2d Dist., Div. 5 Dec. 24, 2025) (unpublished), although not winning some of his

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