Attorney fees in state statutes

Rules for recovering the cost of legal representation.

Statute-text comparison only, not legal advice. Verify against the current official code.

All provisions

Found in reviewed text (43)

Alabama — In the case of any successful action or counterclaim to enforce the foregoing liability or in which injunctive relief is obtained, the costs of the action or counterclaim, together with a reasonable attorney's fee
Alaska — Prevailing plaintiff shall be awarded full reasonable attorney fees; prevailing defendant awarded unless frivolous
California — The court shall award court costs and attorney's fees to a prevailing plaintiff; reasonable attorney's fees may be awarded to a prevailing defendant upon a finding of bad faith
Colorado — Reasonable attorney fees to successful plaintiff, as determined by the court.
Connecticut — The court may award to the plaintiff costs and reasonable attorneys' fees based on work reasonably performed, not on the amount of recovery.
District of Columbia — Reasonable attorney's fees to the consumer.
Florida — to person who suffered loss, as provided in s. 501.2105
Georgia — reasonable attorneys' fees and costs of litigation
Hawaii — Reasonable attorney's fees together with costs of suit awarded to prevailing plaintiff
Idaho — To prevailing plaintiff, mandatory; to prevailing defendant, discretionary
Illinois — Court may award reasonable attorney's fees and costs to the prevailing party, with exceptions
Iowa — the court shall award to the consumer the costs of the action and to the consumer's attorney reasonable fees
Kansas — court may award to the prevailing party reasonable attorney fees, discretionary
Kentucky — Court may award to the prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and costs
Louisiana — Court shall award reasonable attorney fees and costs to the person bringing the action if damages are awarded; may award to defendant if action groundless and brought in bad faith or for harassment.
Maine — petitioner shall be awarded reasonable attorney's fees and costs
Maryland — court may award reasonable attorney's fees to person awarded damages; discretionary
Massachusetts — petitioner shall be awarded reasonable attorney's fees and costs
Michigan — Reasonable attorney fees to the person who suffers loss and brings an action
Minnesota — To consumer/plaintiff; recoverable as part of private action (reasonable attorney fees)
Missouri — Discretionary award to the prevailing party, based on time reasonably expended
Montana — Court may award prevailing party reasonable attorney fees, limited to $250/hour; not if actual damages $100,000 or more
Nebraska — Costs of the suit including a reasonable attorney's fee to the injured person; prevailing party may recover costs including reasonable attorney's fee in AG action
Nevada — The claimant's costs in the action and reasonable attorney's fees.
New Hampshire — Prevailing plaintiff awarded costs and reasonable attorney's fees
New York — Court may award reasonable attorney's fees to a prevailing plaintiff (discretionary)
North Carolina — discretionary, to prevailing party's attorney, payable by losing party
North Dakota — court must order the person commencing the action recover costs, disbursements, and actual reasonable attorney's fees
Ohio — prevailing party, discretionary
Oklahoma — Costs of litigation including reasonable attorney's fees to the aggrieved consumer.
Oregon — Court may award reasonable attorney fees and costs to a prevailing plaintiff; to a prevailing defendant only if no objectively reasonable basis existed
Pennsylvania — The court may award to the plaintiff, in addition to other relief provided in this section, costs and reasonable attorney fees.
Rhode Island — Court may award reasonable attorney's fees and costs to a person bringing an action.
South Carolina — To person bringing action, mandatory upon finding of violation
South Dakota — The attorney general, if the prevailing plaintiff, may also recover reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
Texas — Each consumer who prevails shall be awarded court costs and reasonable and necessary attorneys' fees
Utah — reasonable attorney fees
Vermont — recoverable by consumer; reasonable attorney's fees
Virginia — May be awarded to the person (plaintiff).
Washington — to prevailing party in AG action (discretionary); to plaintiff in private action (mandatory)
West Virginia — The court may award reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses to the consumer.
Wisconsin — Recoverable by a person suffering pecuniary loss, with exceptions.
Wyoming — court shall award reasonable attorney's fees to the plaintiffs in a class action

Not found or not captured (8)

A missing finding does not establish that the law lacks this provision.