Sellers Wanted Over $2.5 Million—Did Not Happen, Based On Lower Court’s Apportionment Which Was Found Appropriate. Where different contracts are involved and no success/limited success is involved, California law gives deference to a lower court to fashion a reasonable award

Prevailing Party Determination Was Discretionary, With The Lower Court Not Abusing Its Discretion. Under Civil Code section 1717, if no side gets an unqualified win, a lower court determines the prevailing party on the contract by comparing the relief awarded

Both Sides Appealed The Fee Award, But It Was Affirmed In Entirety. After an adjacent property owner and HOA settled an easement dispute in which $350,000 was paid to plaintiff, an attorney’s fees motion based on the settlement agreement contractual

$400,000 Fee Award Reversed As A Matter Of Law, With County Entitled To Routine Costs As The Prevailing Party Below. In a “mixed-motive” whistleblower case, plaintiff proved the elements of his whistleblower claim, but he obtained no relief because defendant

Main Reason Is That Homeowner Did Not Oppose the Fee Request, So Waiver Occurred. In Trabuco Highlands Community Assn. v. Loeffler, Case No. G063862 (4th Dist., Div. 3 July 1, 2025) (unpublished), HOA SLAPPed a state collection statutory action

The Reason Was That The Lower Court’s Order Failed To Make Written Findings About The Sanctionable Conduct. SLAPP litigants and their counsel can be liable for attorney’s fees if they lose a SLAPP motion which is deemed frivolous, based on

$148,142.26 Was The Fee/Costs Award Against Homeowner, Affirmed On Appeal. We frequently have posted on homeowner-HOA disputes. They are contentious. However, whoever prevails—and that can be a discretionary call—or if no one prevails can be a game changer in these