Attorney Fees in a North Dakota Lemon Law Claim

Attorney fees are what make a North Dakota lemon-law claim affordable. Between federal Magnuson-Moss and the Consumer Fraud statute, a prevailing consumer can have the manufacturer pay the legal bill — so you generally owe nothing out of pocket.

Where the fees come from

1. Magnuson-Moss § 2310(d)(2) — the most reliable fee hook. A prevailing consumer recovers reasonable attorney fees on a breach-of-warranty claim, and this clock runs years longer than the lemon law’s six months. See Magnuson-Moss.
2. Consumer Fraud statute § 51-15-09 — mandatory costs and reasonable attorney fees for a prevailing plaintiff where the violation was committed knowingly. See Consumer Fraud damages.

Note: the lemon law’s own remedy provision (§ 51-07-18) is built around refund/replacement; the dependable fee engines are Magnuson-Moss and the Consumer Fraud statute. A North Dakota attorney will plead them together.

Why this matters

Fee-shifting flips the economics. A manufacturer that drags out a clear claim watches the consumer’s recoverable fees climb — strong pressure to settle. And because you’re not paying hourly, you can pursue a meritorious claim regardless of its dollar size.

How contingency works

Most North Dakota lemon-law attorneys take cases on contingency:

• No upfront fee and costs advanced by the firm.
• Fees recovered from the manufacturer under the statutes above.
• Any contingency on your recovery is disclosed in the agreement.

See do I need a lawyer and how much does it cost.

Bottom line

Between Magnuson-Moss and the Consumer Fraud statute’s mandatory fees on a knowing violation, North Dakota lemon-law claims are typically handled at no out-of-pocket cost — and fee exposure pushes manufacturers to settle. Get a free case review.

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