Cases: Reasonableness of Fees

Nonsignatories, Reasonableness Of Fees, Section 1717: $313,830 Contractual Fee Award Under Medical Center’s By-Laws Affirmed On Appeal Against Plaintiff Physician

Cases: Nonsignatories, Cases: Reasonableness of Fees, Cases: Section 1717

Section 1717 Was Not Preempted By Business And Professions Code Section 809.1, With Plaintiff’s Wife Not Liable For Fees And With Reductions In Fees Sustained On Appeal. A plethora of fee issues were addressed in Sujan v. UHS Corona, Inc., Case No. E084185 (4th Dist., Div. 2 Sept. 16, 2026) (published) after the lower and appellate courts […]

Appealability, Landlord/Tenant, Non-Signatories, Reasonableness Of Fees:  Prevailing Defendant Tenants, Including Two Non-Signatory Occupants, Properly Were Awarded Contractual Attorney’s Fees Under Lease Provisions When Defendants Defensed Plaintiff Landlord’s Unlawful Detainer Action Based On An Invalid Three Day-Notice

Cases: Appealability, Cases: Landlord/Tenant, Cases: Nonsignatories, Cases: Reasonableness of Fees

Fee Award Was $50,000, A Contractually Capped Amount, Even Though Defendants’ Counsel Expended $73,865 In Fees. In SM 10000 Property, LLC v. Chakchay, Case No. B350752 (2d Dist., Div. 5 Sept. 9, 2026) (unpublished), plaintiff landlord filed an unlawful detainer action against defendant signatory tenant and two other non-signatory tenants named as occupants.  The lower court

Employment, Reasonableness Of Fees: Where Plaintiff Won On 2 Out Of Eight Claims In CFRA/FEHA Case Against Defendant, Reduced $770,310 Fee Award Was Affirmed On Appeal

Cases: Employment, Cases: Reasonableness of Fees

The Request Was $2.6 Million (Lodestar Plus 2.0 Positive Multiplier), With Lower Court Reducing Some Hourly Rates And Applying A Further 25% Reduction For Flawed Discovery Motions, Administrative Work, Travel Time, Block Billing, And Limited Success In A Case Where Plaintiff Won A $600,000 Emotional Distress Jury Verdict. In Gallegos v. University of La Verne, Case

Costs, Multipliers, Reasonableness of Fees, Requests For Admission: $200,000 Fee Award To A Prevailing Party Elderly Patient In A Senior Facility, Over A 60% Reduction From The Requested Lodestar Fees, Was Affirmed On Appeal Based On Negative Multiplier Factors And The Abuse Of Discretion Review Standard

Cases: Costs, Cases: Multipliers, Cases: Reasonableness of Fees, Cases: Requests for Admission

Lower Court Also Did Not Err In Taxing Costs For Unreasonable, Unused Photocopies of Exhibits and Enlargements. In Aud v. RRT Enterprises, LP, Case No. B340727 (2d Dist., Div. 7 Aug. 26, 2026) (unpublished), plaintiff sued for elder abuse under two statutes (including a Health & Safety Code provision) and negligence, with a jury finding

Reasonableness Of Fees: $72,441 Fee Award In Contentious Real Estate Litigation Is Affirmed On Appeal

Cases: Reasonableness of Fees

$96,529 Was The Request, With No Reporter’s Transcript And No Abuse Of Discretion Sealing The Conclusion.  Nasey v. Fell Holdings LLC, Case No. A175452 (1st Dist., Div. 2 Aug. 21, 2026) (unpublished) involved 2 1/2 years of contentious real estate litigation where five defendants finally obtained judgment on the pleadings against a plaintiff breaching a

Reasonableness Of Fees, Special Fee Shifting Statutes: $53,527 In Attorney’s Fees To Winning Neighbor In Civil Harassment Restraining Order Proceeding Was Affirmed On Appeal

Cases: Reasonableness of Fees, Cases: Special Fee Shifting Statutes

Lower Court Did Reduce The Requested Fees By About 30%. A neighbor won a civil harassment restraining order proceeding in Judson v. Tait, Case No. B346920 (2d Dist., Div. 6 July 14, 2026) (unpublished), subsequently requesting prevailing party fees of $76,467 under a fee-shifting statute in this area.  The lower court reduced the request by

Civil Rights, Reasonableness Of Fees: ADA Default Judgment With Injunctive Relief Did Change The Relationship Between The Parties, Which Means A Denial Of Attorney’s Fees Was Erroneous

Cases: Civil Rights, Cases: Reasonableness of Fees

However, Ninth Circuit Did Agree The District Court, On Remand, Could Find Use of Recycled Work And Errors In The Fee Petition Would Justify A Reduction On Reasonableness Grounds. In Price v. Diab, No. 25-713 (9th Cir. July 13, 2026) (published), the district court granted an American with Disability Act (ADA) plaintiff a default injunction

Appeal Sanctions, Paralegal Time, Reasonableness Of Fees: Trial Court’s Refusal To Award Contractual Fees For Paralegal Work Reversed On Appeal

Cases: Appeal Sanctions, Cases: Paralegal Time, Cases: Reasonableness of Fees

Also, Attorney Fee’s Reductions Were Affirmed And Appellant Was Ordered to Pay Minimal Appeal Sanctions For AI Hallucinations In Appellate Briefing. The memorable thing about this opinion, Del Biaggio v. Bansen, Case No. A174647 (1st Dist., Div. 4 July 10, 2026) (published), is what it determined in compensating paralegal work under a contractual fees clause

Reasonableness Of Fees, Special Fee Shifting Statutes: Although The Immigration Consultants Act Does Allow For Fee Recovery, The Lower Court Did Not Err In Reducing $40,725 Fee Request Down To $5,885.66

Cases: Reasonableness of Fees, Cases: Special Fee Shifting Statutes

Reductions Fell Within The Deferential Standard Of Review For Fee Requests Under The Record In The Case Where A Fee Request Was Perceived As Excessive. The next case, Immigrants Rights Defense Council, LLC v. Sklar, Case No. B343410 (2d Dist., Div. 5 July 9, 2026) (unpublished), shows that even though a litigant gets beyond a

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