Hi Rahul/Mr Gibney ,
You may be right on this issue after all, but given the lack of authority interpreting CCP 1987.2, it is unclear. However, in interpreting the attorney’s fees provision in the parallel anti-SLAPP statute, the California Supreme Court held:
“Ketchum also asserts that Code of Civil Procedure section 685.040 precludes an award of ‘collection’ fees. He is incorrect. The statute provides that attorney fees incurred in enforcement efforts ‘are not included in costs collectible under this title unless otherwise provided by law.’ Under its provisions, a litigant entitled to costs for successfully enforcing a judgment is entitled to costs, but not attorney fees unless there is some other legal basis for such an award. Because Code of Civil Procedure section 425.16, subdivision (c) provides a legal right to attorney fees, they are a permissible item of costs. (See also Downey Cares v. Downey Community Development Com., supra, 196 Cal.App.3d at pp. 997–998, 242 Cal.Rptr. 272 [court may award attorney fees, including a fee enhancement, for all time spent, including on fee-related issues].)”
Ketchum v. Moses, 24 Cal. 4th 1122, 1141 (2001).
Thus, Ketchum seems to support your argument. I believe that any request for additional fees would need to be made by subsequent motion to the San Francisco Superior Court.