Cases: Prevailing Party

Prevailing Party, Special Fee Shifting Statutes: Trial Court’s Determination That There Was No Prevailing Party Under Civ. Code Section 8800 In Prompt Payment Action Affirmed, But Reversal For Same Determination Under Code Civ. Proc., Section 1032

Cases: Prevailing Party, Cases: Special Fee Shifting Statutes

Determination Of Prevailing Party Under Section 8800 Is Left To The Trial Court’s Broad Discretion, But The Trial Court Abused Its Discretion In Determining There Was No Prevailing Party Under Section 1032 Where Plaintiff Was The Only Party With A Net Monetary Recovery.             Civil Code section 8800 is a prompt payment statute governing progress […]

Interpleader, Prevailing Party: 2/7 DCA Affirms Trial Court’s Denial Of Attorney Fees And Costs Sought Against Interpleading Plaintiff By Defendant Who Obtained Summary Judgment

Cases: Interpleader, Cases: Prevailing Party

Defendant In An Interpleader Action Cannot Be The Prevailing Party As To The Interpleader Because There Are No True Adverse Interests, And Claims Of Collusion Between Between Interpleader And Other Defendant Must Be Made During Initial Phase Of Proceeding.             In Grupo Deco California v. Downs, Case Nos. B305748/B308965 (2d Dist., Div. 7 October 17,

Prevailing Party, Special Fee Shifting Statutes: Denial Of Attorney’s Fees To Requester Who Received Information Under CPRA After Petitioning For Writ Of Mandate Affirmed On Appeal

Cases: Prevailing Party, Cases: Special Fee Shifting Statutes

Requester’s Litigation Was Not The Catalyst For The Disclosure Of The Information Requester Sought Under The CPRA.             Under the California Public Records Act (CPRA), a trial court “shall award court costs and reasonable attorney’s fees to the requester should the requester prevail in litigation filed pursuant to this section.” (Gov. Code § 6259(d).)  However,

Costs, Prevailing Party: $2.15 Million Fee Order Affirmed, But $205,480.27 In Not Court-Ordered Electronic Document Hosting Charges, Denied, Were Ordered For Consideration On Remand

Cases: Costs, Cases: Prevailing Party

Decision Looks Like It Recognizes That The Modern Costs Of ESI Discovery Expenses May Be Compensable In The Lower Court’s Discretion.             In Russo v. Andrews, Case No. A155999 et al. (1st Dist., Div. 5 Sept. 28, 2022) (unpublished), defendants beat plaintiff in a contentious LLC operating agreement dispute, with defendants awarded damages and equitable

Prevailing Party: Lower Court’s Determination That Cross-Defendant Did Not Prevail In Lawsuit, Where Cross-Defendant Paid Some Settlement Funds To Plaintiff and Dueling Summary Adjudication/Motions Were Granted, Was No Abuse Of Discretion

Cases: Prevailing Party

Cross-Defendant Did Not Obtain Its Crucial Litigation Objectives.             Catalina Media Development, LLC v. Thyssenkrupp Elevator Corp., Case Nos. B306012/B309162 (2d Dist., Div. 1 July 20, 2022) (unpublished) demonstrates how a discretionary no “prevailing party” determination is not easily overturned unless it is lopsided in nature.             In this one, a servicer responsible for elevator

POOF!, Prevailing Party: Court Of Appeal Determines That Defendant Did Not Prevail Such That $454,071.50 Fee And Additional Costs Award To County Went POOF!

Cases: POOF!, Cases: Prevailing Party

This Was A 2-1 Decision; Dissenting Justice Would Have Given Deference To Trial Court’s Reversed Prevailing Party Determination.             Just to show how prevailing party determinations can be to subject to different interpretations, we now post on Youssef v. County of Los Angeles, Case Nos. B302773/B306187 (2d Dist., Div. 1 July 15, 2022) (unpublished).  The

Prevailing Party, Section 1717: Performance Bond Surety Protecting Contractor Was Not The Prevailing Party Under Civil Code Section 1717 Where City Defensed Contractor’s Contract Claims And Surety Held City’s Contractual Recovery To Just $1.00

Cases: Prevailing Party, Cases: Section 1717

Lopsided Results May Make One A Prevailing Party, But The Outcome Was Mixed So The Lower Court Had Discretion To Determine No Side Prevailed.             In the Civil Code section 1717 area, a prevailing party is one which has only “good news” as far as prevailing in litigation.  Anything else, unless a result is overwhelmingly

Prevailing Party, Section 1717: 2/4 DCA Affirms Trial Court’s Denial Of $216,610 In Section 1717 Attorneys’ Fees To Prevailing Defendant Who Entered Into A Contract With Plaintiff That Contained An Attorneys’ Fees Clause

Cases: Prevailing Party, Cases: Section 1717

There Was No Basis For Section 1717 Attorneys’ Fees Because Plaintiff’s Action Was Not On The Contract, And Defendant Failed To Apportion Fees For Its Successful Cross-Complaint On The Contract.             Plaintiff retained defendant law firm to defend him in a legal malpractice lawsuit, and the parties entered into a retainer agreement which contained an

Experts, Prevailing Party, Section 998: Attorneys’ Fees Totaling Over $3.7 Million Plus Costs Totaling $367,192.84 Awarded To Two Prevailing Party Defendants Affirmed On Appeal.

Cases: Experts, Cases: Prevailing Party, Cases: Section 998

Costs Award To One Defendant Included $209,886.89 In Expert Witness Fees Because Plaintiff Had Rejected And Failed To Beat That Defendant’s Section 998 Offer Of $50,000 Plus Waiver Of Fees And Costs.             This next case provides a cautionary tale about the importance of giving careful consideration to reasonable section 998 offers – especially when

Prevailing Party: Sixth District Affirms $320,100 In Attorneys’ Fee Awarded Pursuant To Contractual Attorney Fee Provisions To Successors In Interest Defendants Prevailing Against Action Sounding In Tort And Contract

Cases: Prevailing Party

As They Were Entitled, Under Code Of Civil Procedure Section 1021, Original Parties To The Contract Entered Into A Fee Arrangement Obligating Payment Of Fees To The Prevailing Party Whether The Underlying Litigation Sounded In Tort Or Contract.             In Cook v. Trebino, Case Nos. H047830/H048498 (6th Dist., May 10, 2022) (unpublished), two sisters each

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