Lucia Waterman v. Matthew Charles

1 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA 2 COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO 3 UNIFIED FAMILY COURT 4

5) 6 LUCIA WATERMAN,) Case Number: FPT-25-378598) 7 Petitioner) Hearing Date: June 9, 2026) 8 VS.) Hearing Time: 9:00 AM) 9 MATTHEW CHARLES,) Department: 403) 10 Respondent) Presiding: BOBBY P. LUNA) 11) 12 REQUEST FOR ORDER ATTORNEYS FEES AND COSTS 13 TENTATIVE RULING 14 Having read and considered the pleadings, declarations, and other evidence submitted in this matter, the 15 Court makes the following findings and orders: 16 A. Procedural History 17 1) The parties are Petitioner Lucia Waterman (Mother) and Respondent Matthew Charles (Father). 18 They share one minor child: Lyla (DOB: 9/23/22). 19 2) At the 8/21/25 hearing, the Court awarded Father $45,000 in attorney’s fees and costs under 20 Family Code section 7605. 21 3) On 3/20/26, Father filed a Request for Order seeking $50,000 in attorney’s fees and costs under 22 Family Code section 7605. 23 4) On 3/20/26, Father filed an Income and Expense Declaration. 24 5) On 3/20/26, Father filed an attorney declaration substantiating his request for $50,000 for 25 prospective and anticipated attorney fees and costs to cure loans used to satisfy attorney fees and 26 costs already incurred, which states Father has paid $110,425 in attorney fees and costs to date. 27 6) On 4/1/26, Father filed a Substitution of Attorney indicating he is now self-representing. 28 7) On 4/9/26, the matter was continued from 5/28/26 to 6/9/26 by agreement of the parties. 29

1 8) On 5/27/26, Mother filed a Responsive Declaration in opposition to Father’s Request for Order. 2 Mother asserts that Father’s request completely disregards the Court’s 8/21/25 ruling. Mother 3 further asserts that Father’s attorney declaration lacks specificity as to what work was performed, 4 when that work was performed, and what ongoing work is anticipated. Mother states that counsel 5 for Father has since substituted out, so Father no longer has attorney’s fees to pay. 6 9) On 5/27/26, Mother filed an Income and Expense Declaration. 7 B.

Findings and Order 8 1) Father’s request for an additional $50,000 in attorney’s fees and costs under Family Code section 9 7605 is DENIED. 10 2) While the Court previously made a finding (at the prior 8/21/25 hearing) that there is a significant 11 disparity in income and access to funds to pay attorney’s fees between the parties, the Court also 12 awarded Father $45,000 in attorney’s and costs to be applied to all fees incurred to date as well as 13 all fees incurred through and including the 1/13/25 hearing. 14 3) Per Father’s Income and Expense Declaration filed 3/20/26, Father paid $110,425 in total 15 attorney’s fees and costs (from the attorney’s fee award set forth above and using his parents as a 16 source of funds) and still owes $0. 17 4) Thereafter (on 4/1/26), Father filed a Substitution of Attorney indicating he is now self- 18 representing. 19 5) The Court recognizes that pro per litigants who lack the financial ability to hire an attorney may 20 request a reasonable amount of attorney’s fees and costs to retain counsel under Family Code 21 section 7605; however, Father did not request attorney’s fees and costs for that purpose. 22 6) The Court will prepare the Findings and Order After Hearing. 23