Serves ’em Right! Lawyers To Pay Sanctions For Frivolous Appeal.

Plaintiff provided court reporting services to clients of defendants in prior lawsuits.  Defendants claimed the charges were too high.  When the court reporting service sued the lawyers for breach of contract, the lawyers brought a special motion to strike under the anti-SLAPP statute [Civ.Proc. §425.16], which the trial court denied.  The appellate court was not impressed with the argument that “protesting that certain court reporting fees in underlying cases were illegal, excessive and unnecessary” was protected activity.  Under Civ.Proc. §907 and Cal.Rules of Ct. §8.276, the defendants and their counsel were ordered to pay the court reporting firm their attorney fees of $22,000.  Personal Court Reporters v. Gary Rand  (Cal. App. Second Dist., Div. 4;  April 20, 2012) 205 Cal.App.4th 182.