Worked example: Attorney Fee in Brazil

Example inputs

Run this scenario in DocketMath using the Attorney Fee calculator.

Below is a worked example of an attorney-fee calculation in Brazil using DocketMath and jurisdiction-aware rules for BR (Brazil). This walkthrough focuses on how the calculator behaves with realistic inputs—not on legal advice.

Scenario (worked example)

A contractor files a civil lawsuit in Brazil to recover an unpaid invoice. After a settlement is reached (i.e., the case resolves before a final judgment), the parties agree the contractor’s lawyer will receive attorney fees calculated using a common Brazilian framework: a percentage of the “amount due” (often aligned with the claim’s value), potentially influenced by the procedural stage and any fee agreement structure.

To demonstrate the calculator mechanics, we’ll use a single numeric scenario and then adjust one input at a time in the sensitivity check.

DocketMath inputs (BR)

In DocketMath → attorney-fee (use the calculator page at /tools/attorney-fee), enter these values in the fields that match the UI labels closest to the items below:

• Jurisdiction: BR
• Fee model: percentage-based attorney fees (Brazil)
• Claim amount (principal): R$ 120,000.00
• Case stage for fee handling: settlement reached (pre-final judgment)
• Fee percentage (base): 10%
• Additional multiplier / adjustment: none (set to 1.00)
• Tax / deductions toggle: off (leave unchecked unless your internal workflow adds a specific deduction rule)

What these inputs mean for the calculator

• Claim amount (principal) drives the result because this example uses a percentage-based model.
• Case stage can change how the calculator interprets the fee percentage or applies stage-aware adjustments under the BR rules.
• Fee percentage sets the base proportion. If you move from 10% to 15%, the fee scales upward proportionally (assuming multipliers/deductions remain neutral).
• Additional multiplier / adjustment lets you apply a rule-set factor without mixing it with the stage effect. Keeping it at 1.00 isolates the impact of percentage and stage.
• Tax / deductions toggle affects only the final displayed number when enabled.

Example run

Here’s how the calculation plays out using the chosen inputs.

Run the Attorney Fee calculator using the example inputs above. Review the breakdown for intermediate steps (segments, adjustments, or rate changes) so you can see how each input moves the output. Save the result for reference and compare it to your actual scenario.

Step 1: Compute the base attorney fee

Given:

• Claim amount = R$ 120,000.00
• Base fee percentage = 10%

Base fee = 120,000.00 × 10%
Base fee = R$ 12,000.00

Step 2: Apply stage handling (settlement)

Because we selected settlement reached (pre-final judgment), DocketMath’s BR logic may apply stage-aware handling.

For this worked example, we model stage handling as no additional reduction (i.e., the stage adjustment multiplier remains 1.00):

Adjusted fee = Base fee × 1.00
Adjusted fee = R$ 12,000.00

Step 3: Apply any additional adjustments

We set:

• Additional multiplier / adjustment = 1.00 (none)

So there is no further change to the fee.

Step 4: Tax / deductions

We left tax/deductions off, so the output shown is the gross attorney-fee amount under the selected model (with no deductions applied).

Final output (what DocketMath shows)

Attorney fee (BR, worked example): R$ 12,000.00

For auditability, the calculator output typically corresponds to a breakdown like:

Sensitivity check

A worked example is most useful when you can quickly see what changes the output. Below are targeted “what-if” runs you can reproduce in DocketMath → attorney-fee.

To test sensitivity, change one high-impact input (like the rate, start date, or cap) and rerun the calculation. Compare the outputs side by side so you can see how small input shifts affect the result.

Sensitivity matrix: change the fee percentage

Keep constant:

• Claim amount = R$ 120,000.00
• Stage = settlement reached
• Adjustment multiplier = 1.00

Run these fee percentages:

Observation: In a percentage-based model with neutral multipliers/deductions, each 1 percentage-point change is approximately:

• 120,000.00 × 1% = R$ 1,200.00

Sensitivity to claim amount: keep percentage fixed

Keep constant:

• Base fee % = 10%
• Stage = settlement reached
• Adjustment multiplier = 1.00

Change claim amount:

Observation: With the simplified percentage model, the fee tracks the principal linearly.

Sensitivity to stage handling: switch only the stage

Keep constant:

• Claim amount = R$ 120,000.00
• Base fee % = 10%
• Additional multiplier = 1.00

Now switch only the case stage setting in the BR rules.

• If the selected stage corresponds to an outcome that reduces fees, the output will be below R$ 12,000.00.
• If the selected stage corresponds to an outcome that increases fees, the output will be above R$ 12,000.00.

Because stage logic is jurisdiction-aware, stage selection can be a meaningful driver. A practical validation step is to run the same numeric inputs across the stage options and compare the deltas that DocketMath reports.

Quick sanity checks (use after each run)

• Percentage sanity: when multipliers/deductions are neutral, the fee should be approximately (fee % × claim).
• Multiplier sanity: setting Additional multiplier / adjustment = 1.00 should leave the fee unchanged from the base.
• Toggle sanity: turning Tax / deductions on should change the final output in a predictable direction (often downward if deductions reduce the base).

If results look inconsistent, double-check:

• Jurisdiction = BR
• Fee model = percentage-based
• Case stage selection
• Whether Tax / deductions toggle is enabled

Related reading

• Worked example: attorney fee calculations in Vermont — Worked example with real statute citations
• Attorney Fees Guide for Alaska
• Attorney Fees Guide for American Samoa