Inputs you need for attorney fee calculations in California

Inputs you will need

To run attorney fee calculations in California with DocketMath (calculator: attorney-fee, jurisdiction: US-CA), you’ll want your inputs organized before you start clicking. The goal is to enter complete, consistent information so the calculator can (1) estimate fees and (2) show how results change when you adjust assumptions like rates, work categories, or total time.

Use this checklist to gather what the calculator typically needs:

• Time entries by attorney (or other professional), including:

  • Date(s) of work
  • Time spent (hours)
  • Description/category of task (e.g., drafting, hearings, discovery)

• Whether you are using:

  • An hourly-rate approach (hours × rate), or
  • Another basis aligned with your workflow (for example, a blended-rate approach)

• Rate(s) for each timekeeper (and whether you’re using a blended rate)

• Any planned adjustments (for example, different rates for associates vs. partners)

• Whether you’re estimating fees tied to:

  • Motion practice
  • Settlement efforts
  • Trial/hearing time

• If your workflow splits time into categories, define your category mapping (so time entries land in the right bucket)

• Data for recoverable costs (if you want to include them in the same run), such as:

  • Filing fees
  • Deposition transcripts
  • Service costs

• If your process distinguishes “fees” and “costs,” keep that distinction clear so you don’t double-count or omit line items.

• The last date of work you want included

• This matters when you compare fee totals across phases (for example, pre-motion vs. post-hearing)

• Whether you are estimating:

  • A partial request (certain phases only), or
  • A full request through a defined event (for example, a judgment or dismissal date)

• California includes a general default SOL period of 2 years for timing planning, tied here to the general statute referenced as CCP § 335.1.

• Important: This is the general/default period. No claim-type-specific sub-rule was found in this summary, so treat the 2-year figure as a baseline planning constraint—not a guarantee that every claim will follow a different, more specific deadline.

• Planning citation anchors:

  • General SOL period: 2 years
  • General statute referenced: CCP § 335.1
  • Source note: https://www.alllaw.com/articles/nolo/personal-injury/laws-california.html

Where to find each input

Organize inputs using the systems you already have—this reduces avoidable mistakes more effectively than trying to correct everything later inside a calculator.

• **Time entries (hours, dates, categories)

  • Your law firm’s billing system (e.g., timekeeper report export)
  • Prior invoices
  • Matter time ledger exports (CSV/PDF)
  • If you have multiple timekeepers, confirm you can distinguish:

    • Each professional’s identity/role (name or timekeeper label)
    • Each billing date

• Hourly rates

  • Retainer schedules
  • Engagement agreements
  • Internal rate sheets
  • If you’re using a blended rate, document which approach you’re taking:

    • Weighted average across timekeepers, or
    • A single uniform rate you apply across entries

• Costs and expenses

  • Billing invoice line items
  • Expense receipts and reimbursement logs
  • Totals by category (if your workflow tracks costs in separate buckets)

• Scope cutoff date

  • Calendar: last substantive event included in the calculation
  • Matter records: last filed relevant document in your workflow (so your cutoff matches your theory of “included work”)

• **SOL timing checkpoint (baseline)

  • Use the baseline planning rule tied to:

    • CCP § 335.1 (referenced here with a general default of 2 years)
  • Since this summary does not establish a claim-type-specific deadline, keep it framed as a planning constraint, not a claim-specific determination.

A practical “data hygiene” habit: maintain a single matter folder containing:

• a time export (with dates and hours)
• a rate sheet or agreement excerpt
• a costs list with totals and category tags

That makes reruns faster and more auditable when you adjust inputs.

Run it

Now you can run the calculation using DocketMath.

1. Open the DocketMath attorney fee calculator: ** /tools/attorney-fee
2. Select the California jurisdiction setting (US-CA).
3. Enter time-based inputs:

   • Add hours (by timekeeper and/or category, matching your workflow)
   • Confirm the scope cutoff date / included date range if prompted
4. Enter rate inputs:

   • Provide rate(s) aligned to each timekeeper or task category mapping
5. If your workflow includes costs:

   • Add costs/expenses totals separately from fees (only if you want combined output)
6. Apply the SOL timing baseline (if your workflow includes a SOL-related field/check):

   • General SOL period: 2 years
   • General statute referenced: CCP § 335.1
   • No claim-type-specific sub-rule was found in this summary, so treat this as a general/default planning constraint

How outputs change when inputs change

To interpret results confidently, focus on what typically moves your total:

When you finish, save or export the calculation summary so you can compare versions (for example, after correcting duplicate time entries or adjusting your category mapping).

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