Supreme Court sets attorneys' fees case for oral argument: Vasquez v. Superior Court

The Supreme Court has set Vasquez v. Superior Court, no. S143710, for oral argument on September 3, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. in San Francisco. The Court will be deciding this issue:

Does the rule that, in order to receive attorney fees under Code of Civil Procedure section 1021.5, the plaintiff must first reasonably attempt to settle the matter short of litigation, apply to this case? (See Graham v. DaimlerChrysler Corp. (2004) 34 Cal.4th 553, 557; Grimsley v. Board of Supervisors (1985) 169 Cal.App.3d 960, 966-967.)

The Court of Appeal determined that the party opposing the fee award waived that issue by not raising it below. Vasquez v. State of California, 138 Cal.App.4th 550 (2006) (Fourth Appellate District, Division Two).