Breach of Contract Lawyer in Orange County

Last updated: November 2026

A breach of contract lawyer in Orange County handles disputes over unpaid invoices, broken supply and service agreements, commercial leases, and deals one side walked away from. Kolmogorov Law, P.C. is an Irvine business litigation firm that sues and defends on business contracts in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana and in the federal court there. Under California law, a claim on a written contract generally must be filed within four years, and a claim on an oral contract within two.

Call (909) 235-6116 or contact us online to discuss a contract dispute in Orange County.

Breach of contract services for Orange County businesses

We handle contract cases from both sides. About half of the contract matters that come through the door are plaintiff-side: a customer stopped paying, a vendor delivered late or not at all, a buyer backed out of a signed purchase agreement. The other half are defense. A counterparty claims your company breached, and the demand letter arrived before you knew there was a problem.

The contracts we litigate most often in Orange County are supply and purchase agreements, service and consulting agreements, commercial leases, promissory notes and loan documents, distribution and dealer agreements, and purchase agreements for small businesses. We also handle oral agreements and deals assembled from emails and text messages, which are more common than owners like to admit.

Most cases start with a demand letter and end before trial. In between we plead, take discovery, bring the motions that narrow the case, and try it if settlement fails. Our breach of contract hub explains the elements and defenses in detail.

Three contract disputes we see in Orange County

An Irvine software company signs a two-year services agreement with a logistics customer in Anaheim. Six months in, the customer stops paying and says the software never worked as promised. Both sides have a breach claim, and the case turns on the acceptance clause and the email record.

A Santa Ana distributor orders inventory from a manufacturer under a purchase order with a firm delivery date. The goods arrive late and short, the distributor loses its own downstream customer, and it wants the lost profit. For a sale of goods the Commercial Code governs, with its own four-year limitations period. (Com. Code, § 2725, subd. (1).)

A Newport Beach owner sells her company under a written purchase agreement with a seller's note. The buyer pays for a year, then stops and claims the financial statements were inflated. That case is a contract claim and a fraud defense in the same file.

Deadlines and fee clauses that shape an Orange County contract case

Two rules come up in nearly every first meeting.

The first is the limitations period. An action on a written contract must be filed within four years. (Code Civ. Proc., § 337, subd. (a).) An action on an oral contract must be filed within two. (Code Civ. Proc., § 339, subd. 1.) The clock usually starts at the breach, not the signing. Our statutes of limitations guide covers the common periods.

The second is the attorney fee clause. If the contract awards fees to one side, California makes the clause reciprocal: whoever prevails on the contract recovers fees, whether or not the clause named them. (Civ. Code, § 1717, subd. (a).) That changes the settlement math on both sides. See our page on attorney fee clauses.

Where Orange County contract cases are heard

Most breach of contract cases for Orange County businesses are filed in Orange County Superior Court at the Central Justice Center, 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana. Larger multi-party matters that the court designates complex are assigned to the Civil Complex Center, also in Santa Ana.

When the parties are from different states and the amount in controversy is large enough, the case may be filed in, or removed to, federal court. For Orange County that means the Central District of California, Southern Division, at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Santa Ana.

Many business contracts also contain an arbitration clause. If one does, a court will generally order arbitration on petition unless the right has been waived or grounds exist to rescind the agreement. (Code Civ. Proc., § 1281.2.) We evaluate that clause at the first meeting because it determines where the case will be decided. Our arbitration versus litigation page weighs the trade-offs.

The Orange County businesses we represent

Our clients are mostly closely held companies: manufacturers and distributors in Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Irvine; software and professional services firms around the Irvine Spectrum; medical and dental practices; restaurants and retail operators; and real estate investors and contractors. We represent plaintiffs and defendants in roughly equal measure, which tells me what the other lawyer will argue before the first letter goes out.

How the firm works on a contract case

One attorney handles the matter from the first meeting through trial. I read the contract and the correspondence myself, I write the demand letter and the pleadings, and I take the depositions.

Early in the case we give you a written assessment: the strength of the claim or defense, the likely range of outcomes, the fee exposure under section 1717, and a budget. Most contract disputes are economic problems, and we say so when a negotiated answer is the right one. We explain how fees are typically structured at that first meeting.

Chambers and Partners ranks the firm in its USA Spotlight 2026 guide for general commercial litigation in Orange County, and the firm is a BBB Accredited Business with an A rating.

What to bring to the first meeting

Bring the signed contract and every amendment, the proposals or purchase orders that preceded it, the invoices and payment history, and the emails or texts where the problem first surfaced. If a demand letter has arrived, bring it with the envelope or email showing the date received.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a breach of contract lawyer in Orange County cost?

It depends on the amount in dispute, whether the contract has a fee clause, and how far the other side wants to go. We discuss fee structures at the first meeting and give a budget once we have read the file. A contract claim worth pursuing should recover more than it costs, and we tell you early if it will not.

Can I sue on an oral contract in California?

Usually, yes. Oral contracts are enforceable unless the statute of frauds requires a writing, as it does for certain real estate deals and agreements that cannot be performed within a year. The limitations period is two years rather than four. (Code Civ. Proc., § 339, subd. 1.) Proof is the real challenge: emails, texts, invoices, and course of dealing carry the case.

Do I need a breach of contract attorney in Irvine, or can a Los Angeles lawyer handle it?

Any California lawyer can appear in Orange County Superior Court. The practical advantage of local counsel is familiarity with the judges, clerks, and scheduling habits of the Santa Ana courthouses, and a short drive to hearings, which keeps costs down. Our office in Irvine is about fifteen minutes from the Central Justice Center.

What if the other side sues me first?

The summons directs you to file a written response within 30 days after service. (Code Civ. Proc., § 412.20, subd. (a)(3).) Call before that runs. We review the complaint, calendar the deadline, and decide whether to answer, demur, or cross-complain. Our first 30 days guide walks through each step.

What damages can I recover for breach of contract?

Generally the amount that puts you where you would have been had the contract been performed: unpaid sums, cost of cover, and lost profits that were foreseeable and provable. Punitive damages are not available on a pure contract claim.

Talk to an Orange County breach of contract attorney

If a contract has been broken, or you have been accused of breaking one, call (909) 235-6116 or contact us online. Kolmogorov Law, P.C. is located at 327 Magnet, Irvine, CA 92618, and represents businesses throughout Orange County.

This page provides general information about California law and is not legal advice. Outcomes depend on the contract, the facts, and the court.