Premier Medical Management Systems, Inc. v. California Insurance Guarantee Ass'n

— The issue in these consolidated appeals is whether awards of attorney fees were too high. The awards were made to the prevailing defendants on an anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) special motion to strike pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 425.16 (section 425.16). In an earlier published decision, we reversed a trial court order denying the special motion to strike and remanded for an award of fees to the successful defendants. (Premier Medical Management Systems, Inc. v. California Ins. Guarantee Assn. (2006) 136 Cal.App.4th 464 [ 39 Cal.Rptr.3d 43 ] (Premier I).) The present appeal is from the decision of the trial court on remand.

Appellants argue the fee awards are excessive, duplicative, and improperly include compensation for matters unrelated to the section 425.16 motion. We find no abuse of discretion on the record presented, and affirm. Since appellants abandoned the appeal as to four respondents, we dismiss the appeal as to those parties.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL SUMMARY

We take portions of this summary from our opinion in Premier I, supra, 136 Cal.App.4th at pages 468-472. The case originally arose in the context of the…