Gonzalez

INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff Stephanie Gonzalez was employed by the Buffalo Inn restaurant.

Defendants Richard Rinard, Janna Hickler, and Buffalo Inn Route 66 Corporation

(collectively Buffalo) appeal from a postjudgment order, awarding plaintiff attorney‟s

fees in the amount of $254,615.50.

Defendants appeal, arguing the attorney‟s fee award was an abuse of discretion.

We conclude there was no abuse of discretion and affirm.

II

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

We discussed the factual background of this case in a previous appeal, (Gonzalez

v. Rinard (Jan. 31, 2008, E041658) [nonpub. opn.]) (the default appeal). As described in

that opinion, plaintiff was the single mother of a mixed-race child. Plaintiff began dating

Forrest K. Rinard2 in July 1995. Plaintiff lived with Forrest and worked at the Buffalo

Inn for two years between July 1999 and July 2001. Forrest was the owner and plaintiff

was the manager. Forrest drank alcohol at work and was abusive toward plaintiff in their

personal life and as his employee. He made racist comments and was violent toward her

child. He called her a “Nigger lover” and told her she was fired. He continued to employ

1 After the briefs…