Garcia v. Santana

Opinion

ZELON, J.

Appellants seek review of the trial court’s determination to award no attorney’s fees against the respondent, who is indigent and became self-represented during this litigation. Acknowledging that they might be unable to collect any amount of such fees awarded, they nonetheless concede that they do not wish tenants who have disputes “to think that they’re free to file or defend litigation without risk of exposure to a fee award.” Using fee awards as an instrument to deny access to the courts is neither the policy of the State of California, nor the purpose of the statute in…