Cases: Section 1717

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 Aug. 11, 2020) (unpublished), an occupant, who thought she was co-tenant, eventually prevailed against a landlord, although the proof showed she never executed lease modifications to make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.  […]

Judgment Enforcement, Section 1717: In A Case Of First Impression, The 4/3 DCA Affirms Section 1717 Attorney Fees To Prevailing Alter Ego Defendant In An Enforcement Action For An Underlying Breach Of Contract Judgment

Cases: Judgment Enforcement, Cases: Section 1717

Prevailing Alter Ego Defendant Would Have Been Entitled To Section 1717 Fees For Defeating Plaintiffs’ Claims If Made In The Underlying Action Even Though He Was Not A Signatory On The Contract.             In MSY Trading Inc. v. Saleen Automotive, Inc., Case No. G057093 (4th Dist., Div. 3 June 26, 2020) (published), judgment creditor

Reasonableness Of Fees, Section 1717: Summary Judgment And Attorney Fees Awarded Against Borrowers Who Defaulted On Commercial Property Loan Affirmed On Appeal

Cases: Reasonableness of Fees, Cases: Section 1717

Borrowers Repeatedly Failed To Cite To The Record – Thus Forfeiting Their Arguments – But Awarded Fees Were Nonetheless Reasonable.             In Polycomp Trust Co. v. Agbede, Case Nos. E070613 and E071376 (4th Dist., Div. 2 June 15, 2020) (unpublished), borrowers defaulted on their commercial property loan and their four lenders successfully filed an

Section 1717: Award To Prevailing Defendant Of $26.8 Million, Out Of Requested $42 Million, In Civil Code Section 1717 Attorney Fees Reversed As Premature When Appellate Panel Reverses Trial Court’s Granting of Judgment On The Pleadings

Cases: Section 1717

2/3 DCA Did Not Reach The Merits Of Plaintiff’s Argument Against The Fees Award As The Award Necessarily Fell With Reversal Of The Judgment             Shell Oil v. Barclay Hollander, Case No. B289505 (2d Dist., Div. 3 June 5, 2020) (unpublished), involves a hotly contested action brought by Shell Oil seeking indemnification for environmental

Section 1717: $1.36 Million Fee Award Affirmed Because Defendant Successor Stood In The Shoes Of Litigants Liable For Contractual Fees

Cases: Section 1717

Non-Local Counsel Rates Of A Higher Nature Approved Because No Authorities Showed That They Could Not Be Imposed Under Section 1717, Given Lower Fees Were Used Anyway.             In Patterson Frozen Foods, Inc. v. California Valley Land Co., Case No. H047357 (6th Dist. May 28, 2020) (unpublished), one group of defendants who were alleged to

Partition, Prevailing Party, Section 1717: Denial Of Section 1717 Attorneys’ Fees To Partially Successful Defendant In Partition Action Affirmed

Cases: Partition, Cases: Prevailing Party, Cases: Section 1717

Defendant Moved Under Civil Code Section 1717 Claiming Entitlement To Fees Pursuant To A Settlement Agreement She Unsuccessfully Sought To Enforce.             In Carmody v. Mayne, Case No. D076197 (4th Dist., Div. 1 March 30, 2020) (unpublished) Plaintiff and Defendant entered into an oral agreement to jointly purchase a single family home as an

Fee Clause Interpretation, Prevailing Party, Section 1717: Defendant Successfully Challenging Plaintiff’s Trial Court Fee Request, Where Plaintiff Declared Prevailing Party Under Contract, Was Not Entitled To Attorney’s Fees As The Prevailing Party

Cases: Fee Clause Interpretation, Cases: Prevailing Party, Cases: Section 1717

Defendant’s Limited Appellate Court Win Before Did Not Mean He Prevailed—There Can Only Be One!             Defendant lost an arbitration to plaintiffs who were declared prevailing parties under a contract by the arbitrator.  Plaintiffs moved for recovery of contractual attorney’s fees under Civil Code section 1717, a request granted by the trial court but then

Allocation, Section 1717, Special Fee Shifting Statutes: Denial of Section 1717 Fees To Prevailing Defendants/Cross-Complainants Affirmed, But Reversed As To Denial Of Code Civ. Proc. Section 1021.9 Fees

Cases: Allocation, Cases: Section 1717, Cases: Special Fee Shifting Statutes

Defendants/Cross-Complainants Were Entitled To Statutory Section 1021.9 Fees After Prevailing On Trespassing Claims.             In Kelly v. Gregory House, Case Nos. A153735 and A153184 (1st Dist., Div. 1 March 23, 2020) (unpublished), Defendants/Cross-Complainants own and operate a 40-acre organic farm, and had leased 35 additional acres from an adjacent neighbor in order to expand

Costs, Prevailing Party, Section 998, Section 1717: Trial Court Order Denying All Attorney’s Fees And Costs To Defendants Reversed On Appeal

Cases: Costs, Cases: Prevailing Party, Cases: Section 1717, Cases: Section 998

Defendants Will Be Entitled To Substantial Fees/Costs On Remand, Not To Mention An Attempt To Garner Even More Fees.             This next case is a very substantial reverse of fortune on appeal.  So, that takes us to posting on Abregov v. Lawrence, Case No. G056866 (Abregov II) (4th Dist., Div. 3 Mar. 19, 2020) (unpublished).

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