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Consumer Protection Law

Aug. 5, 2026

Federal judge finds lemon law fee request excessive

U.S. District Judge Eumi K. Lee sharply reduced an attorney fee request in a Tesla lemon law case, citing unreasonable billing, an inflated hourly rate and prior sanctions against plaintiff's counsel.

U.S. District Judge Eumi K. Lee reduced an Irvine lawyer's fee request by nearly 70% in a lemon law case against Tesla, saying the rate she charged and the hours she billed were unreasonable.

After Irvine attorney Donna Etemadi of Etemadi Legal Group obtained a settlement for her client, she asked the court to grant her $73,437 in attorney fees. But Lee reduced the amount to $22,916 -- after Tesla contested the motion -- writing that Etemadi's rate of $475 an hour was unre...

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