Allocation of Litigation Costs in Multi-Claim Commercial Actions
Commercial litigation frequently involves more than a single cause of action. Business disputes often develop into multi-claim proceedings that include breach of contract allegations, statutory claims, and related equitable theories. When these matters resolve with mixed outcomes, courts must address a separate and often contested issue: how litigation costs and attorneys’ fees should be allocated among the parties. This issue arises regularly in complex disputes handled by litigation attorneys serving Northern Virginia and Washington, DC. Cost allocation decisions can significantly affect the overall impact of litigation, particularly where claims succeed in part and fail in part. Understanding how courts approach these determinations provides useful insight into the structure and progression of commercial cases. Distinguishing Litigation Costs from Attorneys’ Fees Courts draw an important distinction between litigation costs and attorneys’ fees. Litigation costs typically incl...