Sweetwater Union High Sch. Dist. v. Julian Union Elementary Sch. Dist.

*977 Julian Union Elementary School District (Julian) and Diego Plus Education Corporation (Diego Plus) doing business as Diego Valley Public Charter (Diego Valley) (together appellants) appeal an attorney fee *978 award to Sweetwater Union High School District (Sweetwater) made under Code of Civil Procedure 1 section 1021.5. Appellants assert that Sweetwater did not qualify as a successful party under section 1021.5 because Sweetwater: (1) failed to achieve its primary litigation goal, (2) the *318 relief it achieved was illusory, and (3) its suit was not a catalyst in motivating either Julian or Diego Valley to take or not take any particular action. Even assuming the trial court did not err in awarding Sweetwater successful party status, appellants claim that Sweetwater was not entitled to a fee award because Sweetwater failed to carry its burden of establishing all requirements for a fee award under section 1021.5. Assuming we reject its other arguments, appellants claim that the trial court abused its discretion by rubberstamping the amount of attorney fees that Sweetwater requested. We affirm.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Sweetwater and Julian are public school…