Cases: Substantiation of Reasonableness of Fees

Off Topics, Substantiation Of Reasonableness Of Fees: Florida’s Sixth District Court of Appeal Finds That Expert Testimony And An Evidentiary Hearing Are Not Required Before A Lower Court Can Fashion An Attorney’s Fees Award

Cases: Substantiation of Reasonableness of Fees, Off Topics

Although Only Applicable To Certain Florida Counties, It Is More In Line With California And Federal Approaches. Although we usually concentrate on California cases, the Florida Sixth District Court of Appeal (governing over around 10 Central Florida counties) in Ruffenach v. Deutsche Bank National Trust Co., 431 So.3d 1055 (Fla. App., 6th Dist. 2026) rejected a six-decades […]

Allocation, Substantiation Of Reasonableness Of Fees: Lower Court Could Make Allocation Of Fees Between Contract/Tort Claims, But It Erred In Not Allowing Opposing Party To Review/Contest A Supplemental Declaration From The Fee Claimant To Support The Final Fee Award

Cases: Allocation, Cases: Substantiation of Reasonableness of Fees

The Matter Is Remanded To Look At A Restudy Of The Supplemental Declaration. Due process is alive and well in the attorney’s fees area, as Tres Caminos, LP v. MGP XI US Properties LLC, Case No. D085539 (4th Dist., Div. 1 Mar. 20, 2026) (unpublished) demonstrates.  It also shows the broad discretion given to a

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 (2d Dist., Div. 4 Mar. 10, 2026) (unpublished), defendant condo owner lost a declaratory relief action brought by City

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 Feb. 20, 2026) (unpublished), prevailing defendants earlier had been awarded SLAPP trial level fees of $14,960 (out of a requested $37,917.48) against plaintiffs, with the lower court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

Substantiation Of Reasonableness Of Fees: $3,000 Discovery Sanctions Order Reversed And Remanded For A Lack Of Competent Substantiation

Cases: Substantiation of Reasonableness of Fees

A Generalized Estimate Of Fees Expended On A Discovery Dispute Was Inadequate. In Marriage of Pair, Case No. F089740 (5th Dist. Jan. 29, 2026) (unpublished), a $3,000 sanctions award against ex-wife and her counsel in a discovery dispute was reversed.  It was not reversed on the merits.  Instead, it was reversed and remanded because the

Reasonableness of Fees, Special Fee Shifting Statutes, Substantiation Of Reasonableness Of Fees:  $33,712.91 Fee Award To Prevailing Party Neighbor Was Affirmed In A Complicated Civil Harassment Matter

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

$650 Hourly Rate For 15-Year Attorney And $450 For A Paralegal Were Found Reasonable In A Contentious Santa Clara County Case. Two neighbors had very bad experiences with each other, with one neighbor obtaining a civil harassment restraining order (CHRO) and being awarded $33,712.91 in prevailing party attorney’s fees under CCP § 527.6 against the

Substantiation Of Reasonableness Of Fees: Where Prevailing Party Landlord Provided A Less Redacted Abstract Of Time Spent On The Case, That Substantiation Supported A Lower Court’s Award Of $94,344 In Fees

Cases: Substantiation of Reasonableness of Fees

Prevailing Party Voluntarily Lowered Its Fee Request Down From $142,842. Prevailing landlord was given a second chance when the lower court observed that billing substantiation was severely redacted and post-judgment work had been included in 2503 Haste Street Owner, LLC v. FanX, Inc., Case No A170902 (1st Dist., Div. 5 Dec. 19, 2025) (unpublished).  What

Discovery, Substantiation Of Fees:  4/3 DCA Decides That Appellate Fees For Upholding Inspection Demand Discovery Sanctions Are Authorized Fee-Shifting

Cases: Discovery, Cases: Substantiation of Reasonableness of Fees

However, The Appellate Court Reduces Fees A Bit For Fees On Fees Work By A Higher Billing Attorney And Cautions That The Real Rate Report Has To Be Used With Precision. In Baer v. Tedder, Case Nos. G063642 et al. (4th Dist., Div. 3 Nov. 10, 2025) (published), the appellate court held that appellate fees

Probate, Substantiation Of Reasonableness Of Fees: Removed Trustee’s Failure To Challenge Fee Entitlement Under Judgment Affirmed In A Prior Appeal Also Disposed Of Same Challenge In A Second Appeal

Cases: Probate, Cases: Substantiation of Reasonableness of Fees

However, The Lower Court Did Reduce The Fee Request Because of Unusually Redacted Time Entries.                The Fifth District, in Trunick v. Calloway, Case No. F086766 (5th Dist. June 11, 2025) (unpublished), affirmed an award of attorney’s fees to a beneficiary who was instrumental in removing co-trustees in a probate dispute.  In earlier proceedings, the

Reasonableness Of Fees, SLAPP, Substantiation Of Reasonableness Of Fees: Successful SLAPPing Defendant Entitled To An Award Of $48,790 In Fees And $1,574.60 In Costs

Cases: Reasonableness of Fees, Cases: SLAPP, Cases: Substantiation of Reasonableness of Fees

Winning Defendant Did Something Smart:  After SLAPP Motion Granted, Offered To Stipulate To A Much Lower Fees And Costs Award, Rejected By Plaintiff.                When it comes to the reasonableness of a fee award, we have posted on situations where the prevailing party offered to stipulate to a lower fees/costs award and then obtained a

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