Bruno v. Hopkins
The court held that, notwithstanding the plaintiff's lack of any proprietary interest in the trust, a trial court may award attorneys' fees and costs to respondents in a probate-trust dispute when the plaintiff's claim is found to be factually baseless and brought in bad faith, pursuant to California Civil Procedure § 15642(d), thereby affirming that California courts may impose fee sanctions on parties who pursue meritless or improperly motivated actions in trust and estate litigation.
Date Filed: June 14, 2022
Case Name: Bruno v. Hopkins
Case Number: H044960
Court: California Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District
The Court holds that a trial court may award attorneys’ fees and costs to respondents in a probate‑trust dispute when the plaintiff’s claim is found to be without factual basis and brought in bad faith, even though the plaintiff does not own an interest in the trust assets. Relying on the credibility findings that the alleged forgery claim was unfounded, the appellate court affirms the award under Cal. Civ. Proc. §\u202f15642(d). This decision underscores that California courts can impose fee sanctions on parties who pursue meritless or improperly motivated actions in trust and estate litigation.
This case summary was prepared for educational purposes. For the authoritative version, please refer to the full opinion or the official California Courts website.