Ramos

This appeal of an award of attorney fees and costs to plaintiffs arises out of one of a series of class actions for damages that challenged certain mortgage lenders’ practices of imposing forced order property insurance charges against those of its borrowers who failed to maintain their own insurance on the property securing their loans. In this case, plaintiff borrowers, represented by class representatives Patricia A. Ramos et al. (plaintiffs), reached a stipulated settlement with defendant Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. (Countrywide), providing for the creation of a fund on behalf of plaintiff class members, injunctive relief, and the bringing of an attorney fees application to the trial court. Countrywide now appeals the judgment and postjudgment order of the trial court that granted plaintiffs’ motion for attorney fees and costs in the total amount of $2,171,629.38, plus costs of $95,560.18, pursuant to the attorney fees provision of the settlement agreement.

On appeal, Countrywide generally asserts the trial court abused its discretion in awarding an excessive amount of attorney fees and costs. Specifically, it argues the trial court’s finding of a lodestar amount of…