Ford Motor Co. on Wednesday filed a civil racketeering lawsuit against lemon law firms and lawyers in California, alleging they overbilled for legal fees by submitting court timesheets recording more than 24 hours worked in a single day.

Ford Motor Co. filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles federal court against a group of attorneys who are part of the so-called "Lemon Law" bar, alleging a lucrative fraud scheme.

It’s no secret Ford has suffered from an inordinate amount of quality control issues in recent years, but the automaker alleges some lemon law attorneys in Southern California have taken advantage. According to a complaint filed by the Dearborn-based company,