Opinion ID: 2604144
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the discretionary cost awards

Text: Shockey Sheet Metal submitted a memorandum and supplemental memorandum of costs requesting discretionary costs for photographs totaling $564.68 and for photocopies totaling $322.25. The Lunas objected and submitted an affidavit which stated in relevant part: There has been no showing with which to support a finding that any of the discretionary costs claimed were reasonable or necessary. The trial court entered an award for both the photography and photocopying costs in the full amounts requested. The applicable Rule of Civil Procedure is I.R.C.P. 54(d)(1)(D), provides in part: [Discretionary costs] may be allowed upon a showing that said costs were necessary and exceptional costs reasonably incurred, and should in the interest of justice be assessed against the adverse party. The trial court, in ruling upon objections to such discretionary costs ... shall make express findings as to why such specific item of discretionary cost should or should not be allowed. The Lunas argue that the trial court failed to enter specific findings as required by I.R.C.P. 54(d)(1)(D) and that Shockey Sheet Metal did not submit an affidavit averring the reasonableness and necessity of the claimed discretionary costs. The record shows that Shockey Sheet Metal did submit a notarized affidavit following its supplemental memorandum of costs stating that the items in the above bill are true and correct and that they have been reasonably and necessarily incurred in the defense of this action; ... . The supplemental memorandum of costs further details what the photocopies and photographs were used for, as well as each item's cost. Additionally, the trial court made specific findings that the photographs and photocopies were used by both sides and that both the photography and photocopying expenses were appropriate and not unreasonable. We hold that there was no abuse of discretion by the trial court in awarding costs for defendant's photocopying and photography expenses.