(a) Notwithstanding any other law, in any action to recover COVID-19 rental debt, as defined in Section 1179.02, brought as a limited or unlimited civil case, the court shall not, under ordinary circumstances, award reasonable attorneys’ fees to a prevailing party that exceed the following amounts:
(1) If the matter is uncontested, five hundred dollars ($500).
(2) If the matter is contested, one thousand dollars ($1,000).
(b) In determining whether a case was litigated under ordinary circumstances, the court may consider the following:
(1) The number and complexity of pretrial and posttrial motions.
(2) The nature and extent of any discovery performed.
(3) Whether the case was tried by jury or by the court.
(4) The length of the trial.
(5) Any other factor the court, in its discretion, finds relevant, including whether the tenant or the landlord, or both the tenant and the landlord, would have been eligible to receive a rental assistance payment from the governmental entity, or other third party pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 1947.3 of the Civil Code.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to entitle the prevailing party to an award of reasonable attorneys’ fees if that award is not otherwise provided for by law or agreement.
(d) This section shall remain in effect until July 1, 2025, and as of that date is repealed.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 2, Sec. 10. (SB 91) Effective January 29, 2021. Repealed as of July 1, 2025, by its own provisions.)