In Mepco Services Inc. v. Saddleback Valley ("Mepco" and "Saddleback"), 2010 DJDAR 16749 (2010), the California Court of Appeal for the Fourth Appellate District decided a novel attorney fee case arising from a school modernization project.

Mepco bid on the project based on architectural plans that Saddleback had prepared by an architect. During the course of construction, Mepco encountered problems and was forced to do additional work at significantly more cost than was originally contemplated.

Mepco performed the additional work according to directions by Saddleback representatives, but the parties disagreed as to whether Mepco was entitled to be paid for the additional work. Mepco then sued for breach of contract.