California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from Gordon v. Stein (In re Gordon), B260994 (Cal. App. 2016):
"The purpose of section 271 is ' "to promote settlement and to encourage cooperation which will reduce the cost of litigation." [Citation.]' [Citation.] 'Family law litigants who flout that policy by engaging in conduct that increases litigation costs are subject to the imposition of attorneys' fees and costs as a sanction. [Citations.]' [Citations.]" (Parker v. Harbert (2012) 212 Cal.App.4th 1172, 1176-1177.) We review an attorney fee award under section 271 for abuse of discretion, and " ' "we will overturn such an order only if, considering all of the evidence viewed most favorably in its support and indulging all reasonable inferences in its favor, no judge could reasonably make the order. [Citations.]" [Citation.]' " (Id. at p. 1177, fn. omitted.)
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