Legal FAQs

Does the other side in a lawsuit have to pay my lawyer if I win?

Usually (but not always) the winning side in a lawsuit will be awarded “costs”. The amount of the costs is at the discretion of the trial judge. The amount awarded will depend on a number of factors, such as whether the parties made offers to settle to each other that should have been accepted, when those offers were made, and how the parties have behaved, both before and during the course of the lawsuit. Costs awarded rarely cover a party’s full legal bill, and must be collected from the other side (who may not pay willingly).