Kwong

Plaintiffs/appellants Audrie Lee and Nelson Lee (collectively, appellants) participated in a judicial arbitration of their complaint. (Code Civ. Proc., § 1141.10 et seq.) 1 After suffering an unfavorable arbitration award, appellants first requested a trial de novo but then filed a voluntary dismissal of their complaint without prejudice. Several of the defendants/ respondents moved to vacate the dismissal and to reinstate the arbitration award, and sought recovery of attorney fees as prevailing parties in the arbitration. The trial court granted the motion, entered judgment on the *1278 arbitration award and subsequently fixed the amount of the fees. Appellants filed separate appeals from the judgment (appeal No. A126027) and from the postjudgment attorney fee order (appeal No. A126670), which we have consolidated. In the published portion of our decision we affirm reinstatement of the arbitration award and entry of judgment thereon. In the nonpublished portion of our opinion we also affirm the attorney fee order.

I. Factual and Procedural Background

In February 2006, Audrie Lee executed a purchase agreement (Lee-Kwong Agreement) with David Shu Wai Kwong and Alice…