Opinion ID: 1894771
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Standard of Review Applicable to a Trial Court's Attorney-Fee Award

Text: This Court has previously recognized that [t]he determination of whether an attorney fee is reasonable is within the sound discretion of the trial court and will not be disturbed on appeal absent an abuse of that discretion. Ex parte Edwards, 601 So.2d 82, 85 (Ala.1992), citing Varner v. Century Fin. Co., 738 F.2d 1143 (11th Cir.1984). See also Knox Kershaw, Inc. v. Kershaw, 598 So.2d 1372 (Ala.1992); Lanier v. Moore-Handley, Inc., 575 So.2d 83 (Ala.1991). However, the Board argues that a de novo review is appropriate in this case. The Board relies upon Ex parte Horn, 718 So.2d 694, 705 (Ala.1998) (addressing an attorney-fee award by the trial court), in which this Court stated: [W]here a trial court does not receive evidence ore tenus, but instead makes its judgment based on the pleadings, exhibits, and briefs, the ore tenus standard's presumption of correctness does not apply to the trial court's factual findings and it is the duty of the appellate court to judge the evidence de novo. As in Ex parte Horn, the trial court in this case did not receive ore tenus evidence regarding Waldrop's request for an award of attorney fees. Thus, we review de novo the trial court's award of attorney fees, and the trial court's findings of fact on that issue carry no presumption of correctness.