Marriage of Aguina and Kang CA4/2

I. INTRODUCTION

In this marital dissolution proceeding, appellant Choong-Dae Kang (wife), seeks

reversal of an October 26, 2012, order, pendent lite, requiring her to pay $10,000 in

attorney fees to the attorney for respondent, Aguina Aguina (husband). Kang claims the

family court abused its discretion in issuing the order because it did not follow applicable

statutory guidelines. (Fam. Code, §§ 2030, 2032.)1 We disagree and affirm the order.

II. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

A. Background

Aguina petitioned to dissolve his marriage to Kang in September 2008. The

parties have two sons still under the age of 18. By the time the court ordered Kang to pay

$10,000 of Aguina’s attorney fees on October 26, 2012, the case had already had a “long

and twisted history,” as the court put it. The parties had long been engaged in protracted

litigation in the family and civil courts, and were still disputing child support, spousal

support, and the division of their community estate.

The issue of Aguina’s attorney fees arose on January 18, 2012, when Aguina,

through his counsel, P. Timothy Pittullo, filed an order to show cause why Kang should

not be ordered to pay $25,000 of his…