Loube

Appellants Arthur A. Loube and Janice Temple filed an action against their former attorneys, the law firm of Loube, Klein, Sacks & Associates. They appeal from a judgment that they take nothing by their complaint and that respondents be awarded attorney fees. We affirm the judgment but reverse the attorney fee award.

Background

Appellants were limited partners in a real estate partnership. They hired respondents to prosecute an action brought by them against general partners Paul Klapper and Robert Yick. Respondents filed a complaint on appellants’ behalf, and ultimately took default against both Klapper and Yick. Following a prove-up hearing, each appellant was awarded $248,102 compensatory damages, $200,000 punitive damages and $7,431 attorney fees and costs. Klapper and Yick filed a motion for relief from default, asserting among other matters that the damages award was improper because no specific amount of damages had been stated in the complaint. The trial court denied the motion, but amended the judgment to reduce the award of compensatory damages to the jurisdictional minimum of $25,000.

Appellants then instituted the present action against respondents,…