DTO Law Secures Major Win for Honda in Attorney Fees Battle

DTO Law achieved a significant victory for American Honda Motor Co. in a recent ruling on attorney fees following a class action lawsuit over alleged valve defects. U.S. District Judge William Alsup drastically reduced the Plaintiffs’ counsel’s fee request from $5.6 million to $1.5 million, marking a substantial win for Honda in the aftermath of the jury trial.

William A. Delgado, lead counsel for Honda, stated, “This ruling underscores the strength of our defense strategy and the disproportionate nature of the Plaintiffs’ fee request. We’re pleased the court recognized the limited scope of the Plaintiffs’ success and adjusted the fees accordingly.”

The case, Quackenbush et al. v. American Honda Motor Co. Inc. et al., initially sought damages for both California and Illinois vehicle owners. However, the jury verdict in August 2023 only found in favor of the Illinois class, awarding $1.4 million in damages. DTO argued that the Plaintiffs’ counsel’s fee request was grossly disproportionate to the outcome.

DTO’s strategic approach in challenging the fee request highlighted the disparity between the Plaintiffs’ initial demands and the final verdict. The firm emphasized that much of the Plaintiffs’ counsel’s work was on claims that never materialized or were unsuccessful at trial.

“This ruling is a testament to DTO’s commitment to protecting our clients’ interests at every stage of litigation, including post-trial proceedings,” Delgado added. “It underscores the importance of scrutinizing fee requests in class actions to ensure they reflect the actual results achieved and the work performed.”

The decision comes as a capstone to DTO Law’s effective defense strategy throughout the case, which included successfully limiting the scope of the class action and securing a complete defense verdict on the California claims.

The case is currently on appeal to the Ninth Circuit.