attorneys fees News

Texas Supreme Court Rules to Cut Out Attorney’s Fees in First-Party Appraisals

The Texas Supreme Court recently ruled that when an insurance company pays an appraisal award plus any statutory interest in a weather-related first-party property case, there is no liability for attorney’s fees. The court responded to a certified question from …

Boy Scout Abuse Claims Fund Shouldn’t Pay $21M in Lawyers’ Fees, Judge Says

The judge presiding over the Boys Scouts of America’s bankruptcy has rejected a $21 million fee request from attorneys hired by law firms representing survivors of child sexual abuse. A group of personal injury firms called the Coalition of Abused …

Texas Judge Orders Houston Attorney to Reimburse Insurer $137,000 for “Frivolous” Lawsuit

A Texas judge has ordered a Houston plaintiffs’ attorney to reimburse an insurer $137,000 for the legal fees it expended to defend itself against a “frivolous” and “groundless” lawsuit that was filed “solely for the purpose of harassment.” Harris County …

Texas Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Attorney Fee Awards When Appraisal Awards Are Paid

Insurance defense attorneys last week urged the Texas Supreme Court to uphold the “plain language” of a law passed in 2017 that they say precludes recovery of attorney fees in cases where the insurer pays the full amount of an …

Facebook Settlement Lawyers Want ‘Nick Bosa Money,’ Judge Says

Lawyers who sued Facebook over user privacy violations are seeking $180 million in attorneys fees — a sum the judge in the case likened to “Nick Bosa money,” a reference to a $170 million contract the San Francisco 49ers star …

Split Okla. Supreme Court Sides with Plaintiffs in Attorney Fee Dispute

An insurer that failed to pay a claim within 60 days cannot be considered the prevailing party even if a claimant is eventually awarded less than the carrier’s settlement offer, a divided Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled. The 6-3 opinion marks …

California Judges Target Class Actions That Benefit Lawyers Over Consumers

Federal judges in California are cracking down on warped incentives in class-action lawsuits, exerting tighter oversight of settlements that provide hefty fees for plaintiff lawyers but no meaningful benefit for those harmed by corporate misdeeds. A recent example was the …

Arkansas House Passes Tort-Reform Amendment Capping Punitive Damages, Fees

The Arkansas House has approved a proposed state constitutional amendment that would ask voters to limit some attorney’s fees and punitive damages in lawsuits. The House voted 65-29 for the joint resolution and sent it back to the state Senate …

Arkansas Bill Would Limit Attorneys’ Fees, Punitive Damages

An Arkansas Senate committee has advanced a proposed constitutional amendment that would ask voters to limit some attorneys’ fees and punitive damages in court cases. The Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee voted on Feb. 14 to advance the …

Liberty Insurance Must Pay Attorneys’ Fees in Gulf Oil Spill Case

A federal appeals court has ruled against an insurer in its quest to avoid paying attorneys’ fees in litigation stemming from 2010’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans found hollow …