Does a clause in a real estate purchase agreement stipulate that the prevailing party would recover attorney fees and costs in any litigation or other legal proceeding to which this Agreement gives rise?

California, United States of America


The following excerpt is from Troppman v. Flaherty, C050417 (Cal. App. 5/30/2007), C050417 (Cal. App. 2007):

In Xuereb v. Marcus & Millichap, Inc. (1992) 3 Cal.App.4th 1338, the parties to a real estate purchase agreement "agreed that the prevailing party would recover its attorney fees and costs in any `lawsuit or other legal proceeding' to which `this Agreement gives rise.'" (Id. at p. 1342.) In construing this provision, the court applied these words in their usual sense and concluded that "[i]n ordinary popular speech, as well as in legal opinions, it is common to use the phrase `arises from' or `arises out of' in a far more general, transactional sense than is suggested by phrases such as `derives from' or `proximately caused by.' [Citations.]" (Id. at p. 1344.) The court determined that tort causes of action, based on negligent inspections of the property, were not independent of the basic contractual arrangement, but instead arose from the transactional relationship between the parties, entitling the prevailing party to attorney fees. (Id. at pp. 1344-1345.)

Other Questions


Does an attorney fee provision in a real estate purchase agreement extend to costs incurred in litigating tort claims? (California, United States of America)
Can an attorney or party who files a frivolous motion to disqualify or harass an opponent to delay litigation be sanctioned by paying the attorney fees and costs incurred by the opposing party? (California, United States of America)
Can a party agree that the prevailing party will be awarded attorney fees incurred in any litigation between them? (California, United States of America)
When an arbitration agreement requires the parties to share the costs of arbitration, does the court have jurisdiction to order that party to waive its right to arbitrate the other party's claim? (California, United States of America)
Can an attorney who chooses to litigate in propria persona rather than retain an attorney to represent him recover attorney fees? (California, United States of America)
Is a prevailing party entitled to recover costs in an action or proceeding? (California, United States of America)
Are contractual attorney fees awarded to a party who recovers no money damages treated as incidental costs of litigation? (California, United States of America)
What is the test for determining whether a trust can recover litigation costs and attorneys' fees from the estate of a deceased? (California, United States of America)
Can an attorney litigant represented by other attorneys in his firm recover attorney fees? (California, United States of America)
Can an attorney who chooses to litigate in propria persona, therefore not pay consideration in exchange for legal representation, recover reasonable attorney fees? (California, United States of America)
X



Alexi white


"The most advanced legal research software ever built."

Trusted by top litigators from across North America.