Chapter 6 - Of Costs

California Code of Civil Procedure — §§ 1021-1038

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Sections (30)

Amended by Stats. 1986, Ch. 377, Sec. 2.

Except as attorney’s fees are specifically provided for by statute, the measure and mode of compensation of attorneys and counselors at law is left to the agreement, express or implied, of the parties; but parties to actions or proceedings are entitled to their costs, as hereinafter provided.

Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 686, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2003.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in an action brought in the name of the people of the State of California against any person for failure to comply with Chapter 10A (commencing with Section 375) of Title 15 of the United States Code, otherwise known as the “Jenkins Act,” the court, to the extent not expressly prohibited by federal law, shall award fees and costs, including reasonable attorney’s fees, to the people if the people succeed on any claim to enforce the Jenkins Act. Any attorney’s fees awarded under this section shall be in addition to any

other remedies or penalties available under all other laws of this state.

Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 146, Sec. 2. (SB 1327) Effective January 1, 2023.

(a)Notwithstanding any other law, any person, including an entity, attorney, or law firm, who seeks declaratory or injunctive relief to prevent this state, a political subdivision, a governmental entity or public official in this state, or a person in this state from enforcing any statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, or any other type of law that regulates or restricts firearms, or that represents any litigant seeking that

relief, is jointly and severally liable to pay the attorney’s fees and costs of the prevailing party.

(b)For purposes of this section, a party is considered a prevailing party if a court does either of the following:
(1)Dismisses any claim or cause of action brought by the party seeking the declaratory or injunctive relief described by subdivision (a), regardless of the reason for the dismissal.
(2)Enters judgment in favor of the party opposing the declaratory or injunctive relief described by subdivision (a), on any claim or cause of action.
(c)Regardless of whether a prevailing party sought to recover attorney’s fees or costs in the

underlying action, a prevailing party under this section may bring a civil action to recover attorney’s fees and costs against a person, including an entity, attorney, or law firm, that sought declaratory or injunctive relief described by subdivision (a) not later than the third anniversary of the date on which, as applicable:

(1)The dismissal or judgment described by subdivision (b) becomes final upon the conclusion of appellate review.
(2)The time for seeking appellate review expires.
(d)None of the following are a defense to an action brought under subdivision (c):
(1)A prevailing party under this section failed to seek recovery of attorney’s

fees or costs in the underlying action.

(2)The court in the underlying action declined to recognize or enforce the requirements of this section.
(3)The court in the underlying action held that any provision of this section is invalid, unconstitutional, or preempted by federal law, notwithstanding the doctrines of issue or claim preclusion.
(e)Any person, including an entity, attorney, or law firm, who seeks declaratory or injunctive relief as described in subdivision (a), shall not be deemed a prevailing party under this section or any other provision of this chapter.

Added by Stats. 1983, Ch. 938, Sec. 3. Effective September 20, 1983.

In an action for damages against a defendant based upon that defendant’s commission of a felony offense for which that defendant has been convicted, the court may, upon motion, award reasonable attorney’s fees to a prevailing plaintiff against the defendant who has been convicted of the felony.

Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 645, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1994.

Upon motion, a court may award attorneys’ fees to a successful party against one or more opposing parties in any action which has resulted in the enforcement of an important right affecting the public interest if:

(a)a significant benefit, whether pecuniary or nonpecuniary, has been conferred on the general public or a large class of persons, (b) the necessity and financial burden of private enforcement, or of enforcement by one public entity against another public entity, are such as to make the award appropriate, and (c) such fees should not in the interest

of justice be paid out of the recovery, if any. With respect to actions involving public entities, this section applies to allowances against, but not in favor of, public entities, and no claim shall be required to be filed therefor, unless one or more successful parties and one or more opposing parties are public entities, in which case no claim shall be required to be filed therefor under Part 3 (commencing with Section 900) of Division 3.6 of Title 1 of the Government Code.

Attorneys’ fees awarded to a public entity pursuant to this section shall not be increased or decreased by a multiplier based upon extrinsic circumstances, as discussed in Serrano v. Priest, 20 Cal. 3d 25, 49.

Amended by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1383, Sec. 1.

Upon motion, a court after reviewing the evidence in the principal case may award attorney’s fees to a person who prevails on a claim for implied indemnity if the court finds (a) that the indemnitee through the tort of the indemnitor has been required to act in the protection of the indemnitee’s interest by bringing an action against or defending an action by a third person and (b) if that indemnitor was properly notified of the demand to bring the action or provide the defense and did not avail itself of the opportunity to do so, and (c) that the trier of fact determined that the indemnitee was without fault in the principal case which is the basis

for the action in indemnity or that the indemnitee had a final judgment entered in his or her favor granting a summary judgment, a nonsuit, or a directed verdict.

Added by Stats. 1981, Ch. 980, Sec. 1.

In any action for damages arising out of the performance of a peace officer’s duties, brought against a peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, or against a public entity employing a peace officer or in an action for libel or slander brought pursuant to Section 45 or 46 of the Civil Code, the court may, in its discretion, award reasonable attorney’s fees to the defendant or defendants as part of the costs, upon a finding by the court that the action was not filed or maintained in good faith and with reasonable cause.

Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 51, Sec. 3. (SB 122) Effective July 10, 2023.

(a)Whenever the Attorney General prevails in a civil action to enforce Section 17537.3, 22445, 22446.5, 22958, 22962, or 22963 of the Business and Professions Code, Section 52, 52.1, 55.1, or 3494 of the Civil Code, the Corporate Securities Law of 1968 (Division 1 (commencing with Section 25000) of Title 4 of the Corporations Code) or the California Commodity Law of 1990 (Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 29500) of Title 4 of the Corporations Code), Section 1615, 2014, or 5650.1 of the Fish and Game Code, Section 4458, 12598, 12606, 12607, 12989.3, 16147, 66640, 66641, or 66641.7 of the Government Code, Section 13009, 13009.1, 19958.5, 25299, 39674, 41513, 42402, 42402.1, 42402.2, 42402.3, 42402.4, 43016, 43017, 43154, 104557, or 118950 of the Health and Safety Code, Section 308.1 or

308.3 of the Penal Code, Section 2774.1, 4601.1, 4603, 4605, 30820, 30821.6, 30822, 42847, or 48023 of the Public Resources Code, Section 30101.7 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, or Section 275, 1052, 1845, 13261, 13262, 13264, 13265, 13268, 13304, 13331, 13350, or 13385, or Part 1 (commencing with Section 6000) of Division 3, of the Water Code, the court shall award to the Attorney General all costs of investigating and prosecuting the action, including expert fees, reasonable attorney’s fees, and costs. Awards under this section shall be paid to the Public Rights Law Enforcement Special Fund established by Section 12530 of the Government Code.

(b)This section applies to any action pending on the effective date of this section and to any action filed thereafter.
(c)The amendments made to this section by Chapter 227 of the Statutes of 2004 shall apply to any action pending on

the effective date of these amendments and to any action filed thereafter.

Added by Stats. 1986, Ch. 1381, Sec. 1.

In any action to recover damages to personal or real property resulting from trespassing on lands either under cultivation or intended or used for the raising of livestock, the prevailing plaintiff shall be entitled to reasonable attorney’s fees in addition to other costs, and in addition to any liability for damages imposed by law.

Added by renumbering Section 1023 by Stats. 1933, Ch. 744.

When several actions are brought on one bond, undertaking, promissory note, bill of exchange, or other instrument in writing, or in any other case for the same cause of action, against several parties who might have been joined as defendants in the same action, no costs can be allowed to the plaintiff in more than one of such actions, which may be at his election, if the party proceeded against in the other actions were, at the commencement of the previous action, openly within this State; but the disbursements of the plaintiff must be allowed to him in each action.

Amended by Stats. 1953, Ch. 795.

The fees of referees are such reasonable sum as the court may fix for the time spent in the business of the reference; but the parties may agree, in writing, upon any other rate of compensation, and thereupon such rates shall be allowed.

Amended by Stats. 1986, Ch. 377, Sec. 3.

When an application is made to the court or referee to postpone a trial, the payment of the expenses occasioned by the postponement may be imposed, in the discretion of the court or referee, as a condition of granting the same.

Added by renumbering Section 1030 by Stats. 1933, Ch. 744.

When, in an action for the recovery of money only, the defendant alleges in his answer that before the commencement of the action he tendered to the plaintiff the full amount to which he was entitled, and thereupon deposits in court, for plaintiff, the amount so tendered, and the allegation is found to be true, the plaintiff can not recover costs, but must pay costs to the defendant.

Amended by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1199, Sec. 8. Operative July 1, 1989, by Sec. 119 of Ch. 1199.

(a)Except as provided in subdivision (b), in an action prosecuted or defended by a personal representative, trustee of an express trust, guardian, conservator, or a person expressly authorized by statute, costs may be recovered as in an action by or against a person prosecuting or defending in the person’s own right.
(b)Costs allowed under subdivision (a) shall, by the judgment, be made chargeable only upon the estate, fund, or party represented, unless the court directs the costs to be paid by the fiduciary personally for mismanagement or bad faith in the action or

defense.

Amended by Stats. 1982, Ch. 497, Sec. 68. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 185 of Ch. 497.

When the decision of a court of inferior jurisdiction in a special proceeding is brought before a court of higher jurisdiction for a review, in any other way than by appeal, the same costs must be allowed as in cases on appeal, and may be collected in the manner provided for enforcement of money judgments generally, or in such manner as the court may direct, according to the nature of the case.

Amended by Stats. 1943, Ch. 165.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, when the State is a party, costs shall be awarded against it on the same basis as against any other party and, when awarded, must be paid out of the appropriation for the support of the agency on whose behalf the State appeared.

Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 445, Sec. 1.

(a)In any civil action between a small business or a licensee and a state regulatory agency, involving the regulatory functions of a state agency as applied to a small business or a licensee, if the small business or licensee prevails, and if the court determines that the action of the agency was undertaken without substantial justification, the small business or licensee may, in the discretion of the court, be awarded reasonable litigation expenses in addition to other costs. Funds for such expenses and costs shall be paid from funds in the regular operating budget of the state regulatory agency where the appropriation therefor

encompasses the payment of such costs and expenses, and not from unappropriated money in the General Fund.

(b)“Reasonable litigation expenses” means any expenses not in excess of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) which the judge finds were reasonably incurred in opposing the agency action, including court costs, expenses incurred in administrative proceedings, attorney’s fees, witness fees of all necessary witnesses, and such other expenses as were reasonably incurred.
(c)“Small business” means a business activity that is all of the following:
(1)Independently owned and operated.
(2)Not dominant in its field of operation.
(3)Not exceeding the following annual gross

receipts or other criteria in the categories of:

(A)Agriculture, one million dollars ($1,000,000).
(B)General construction, nine million five hundred thousand dollars ($9,500,000).
(C)Special trade construction, five million dollars ($5,000,000).
(D)Retail trade, two million dollars ($2,000,000).
(E)Wholesale trade, nine million five hundred thousand dollars ($9,500,000).
(F)Services, two million dollars ($2,000,000).
(G)Transportation and warehousing, one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000).
(H)A manufacturing enterprise not exceeding 250 employees.
(I)A health care facility not exceeding 150 beds or one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) in annual gross receipts.
(J)Generating and transmitting electric power not exceeding 4,500 megawatt hours annually.
(d)“Licensee” means any person licensed by a state agency who does not qualify as a small business, but whose annual gross receipts from the use of such license do not exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000).
(e)A small business or a licensee shall be deemed to prevail in any action in which there is no adjudication, stipulation, or acceptance of liability on the part of the small business or licensee.
(f)A small business or licensee shall not be deemed to have prevailed in actions commenced at the instance of, or on the basis of a complaint filed by, a person who is not an officer, employee, or other agent of the state regulatory agency if the action is dismissed by the agency upon a finding of no cause for the action, or is settled by the agency and small business or licensee without a finding of fault.
(g)Section 800 of the Government Code shall not apply to actions which are subject to the provisions of this section.
(h)Every state regulatory agency against which litigation expenses have been awarded under this section shall, at the time of submission of its proposed budget pursuant to Section 13320 of the Government Code, submit a report to the Department of Finance and the Legislature as to the amount of

those expenses awarded and paid during the fiscal year.

(i)This section shall be known and may be cited as the Carpenter-Katz Small Business Equal Access to Justice Act of 1981.

Amended by Stats. 1945, Ch. 217.

When any county, city, district, or other public agency or entity, or any officer thereof in his official capacity, is a party, costs shall be awarded against it on the same basis as against any other party and, when awarded, must be paid out of the treasury thereof.

Amended by Stats. 1982, Ch. 517, Sec. 162.

(a)Whenever a complaint for damages is filed against any architect, landscape architect, engineer, building designer, or land surveyor, duly licensed as such under the laws of this state, in an action for error, omission, or professional negligence in the creation and preparation of plans, specifications, designs, reports or surveys which are the basis for work performed or agreed to be performed on real property, any such defendant may, within 30 days after service of summons, move the court for an order, upon notice and hearing, requiring the plaintiff to file an undertaking in a sum not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500)

as security for the costs of defense as provided in subdivision (d), which may be awarded against the plaintiff. The motion shall be supported by affidavit showing that the claim against the defendant is frivolous.

At the hearing upon the motion, the court shall order the plaintiff to file the undertaking if the defendant shows to the satisfaction of the court that (i) the plaintiff would not suffer undue economic hardship in filing the undertaking, and (ii) there is no reasonable possibility that the plaintiff has a cause of action against each named defendant with respect to whom the plaintiff would otherwise be required to file the undertaking. No appeal shall be taken from any order made pursuant to this subdivision to file or not to file the undertaking.

A determination by the court that the undertaking either shall or shall not be filed or shall be filed as to one or more defendants and not as to others, shall not be

deemed a determination of any one or more issues in the action or of the merits thereof. If the court, upon any such motion, makes a determination that an undertaking be filed by the plaintiff as to any one or more defendants, the action shall be dismissed as to the defendant or defendants, unless the undertaking required by the court has been filed within such reasonable time as may be fixed by the court.

(b)This section does not apply to a complaint for bodily injury or for wrongful death, nor to an action commenced in a small claims court.
(c)Whenever more than one such defendant is named, the undertaking shall be increased to the extent of not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) for each additional defendant in whose favor the undertaking is ordered not to exceed the total of three thousand dollars ($3,000).
(d)In any action requiring an undertaking as provided in this section, upon the dismissal of the action or the award of judgment to the defendant, the court shall require the plaintiff to pay the defendant’s costs of defense authorized by law. Any sureties shall be liable for such costs in an amount not to exceed the sum of five hundred dollars ($500) or the amount of the undertaking, whichever is lesser, for each defendant with respect to whom the sureties have executed an undertaking.

Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 226, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 1994.

(a)Whenever a complaint for damages for personal injuries is filed against a physician and surgeon, dentist, registered nurse, dispensing optician, optometrist, pharmacist, registered physical therapist, podiatrist, licensed psychologist, osteopathic physician and surgeon, chiropractor, clinical laboratory bioanalyst, clinical laboratory technologist, or veterinarian, duly licensed as such under the laws of this state, or a licensed hospital as the employer of any such person, in an action for error, omission, or negligence in the

performance of professional services, or performance of professional services without consent, any such defendant may, within six months after service of summons, move the court for an order, upon notice to plaintiff and all defendants having appeared in the action, and hearing, requiring the plaintiff to file an undertaking in a sum not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) as security for the costs of defense as provided in subdivision (d), which may be awarded against the plaintiff. The motion shall be supported by affidavit showing that the claim against the defendant is frivolous. Any defendant having appeared in the action and within 30 days after receipt of notice may join with the moving party requesting an order under this section as to the additional defendant. The failure of any defendant to join with the moving party shall preclude that defendant from subsequently requesting an order under this section.

At the hearing upon the motion, the court shall

order the plaintiff to file the undertaking if the defendant shows to the satisfaction of the court that:

(i)the plaintiff would not suffer undue economic hardship in filing the undertaking and (ii) there is no reasonable possibility that the plaintiff has a cause of action against each named defendant with respect to whom the plaintiff would otherwise be required to file the undertaking.

A determination by the court that an undertaking either shall or shall not be filed or shall be filed as to one or more defendants and not as to others, shall not be deemed a determination of any one or more issues in the action or of the merits thereof. If the court, upon any such motion, makes a determination that an undertaking be filed by the plaintiff as to any one or more defendants, the action shall be dismissed as to that defendant or defendants, unless the undertaking required by the court shall have been filed within the reasonable time as may be fixed by the court.

(b)This section does not apply to a complaint in an action commenced in a small claims court.
(c)Whenever more than one defendant is named, the undertaking shall be increased to the extent of not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) for each additional defendant in whose favor the undertaking is ordered, not to exceed the total of one thousand dollars ($1,000).
(d)In any action requiring an undertaking as provided in this section, upon the dismissal of the action or the award of judgment to the defendant, the court shall require the plaintiff to pay the defendant’s court costs. Any sureties shall be liable for those costs in an amount not to exceed the sum of five hundred dollars ($500) or the amount of the undertaking, whichever is lesser, for each defendant with respect to whom the sureties have executed an

undertaking. If the plaintiff prevails in the action against any defendant with respect to whom an undertaking has been filed, the defendant shall pay the costs to plaintiff incurred in defending the motion for dismissal authorized by this section.

(e)Any defendant filing a motion under this section or joining with a moving party under this section is precluded from subsequently filing a motion for summary judgment.
(f)Any defendant filing a motion for summary judgment is precluded from subsequently filing a motion, or joining with a moving party, under this section.

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