Credit: hvostik16/Adobe Stock Credit: hvostik16/Adobe Stock

The Trend:

A spate of recent rulings rejecting attorney fee petitions shows the importance of preparation when seeking reimbursement from an opposing party.

The Driver:

As we've previously noted in this column, filing an outrageously inflated fee petition is a surefire way to tick off a judge and potentially end up leaving empty-handed (and possibly in ethical trouble).

After all, most fee-shifting provisions specify that the fees sought must be "reasonable."