Opinion ID: 2097439
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Schinnerer Was Properly Awarded Attorney Fees.

Text: Finally, Nebraska Diamond argues that the awards of attorney fees by the county and district courts were excessive. The county court awarded $9,255, and the district court awarded $3,000. We find no error in the awards of these attorney fees. Section 48-1231 of the Wage Payment Act states in part: If an employee establishes a claim and secures judgment on the claim, such employee shall be entitled to recover (1) the full amount of the judgment and all costs of such suit and (2) if such employee has employed an attorney in the case, an amount for attorney's fees assessed by the court, which fees shall not be less than twenty-five percent of the unpaid wages. Schinnerer established a claim for unpaid wages and was entitled to attorney fees of not less than 25 percent of the unpaid wages under § 48-1231. The county court explained that its award of attorney fees was based on the nature of the proceedings, the time and labor required, the novelty and difficulty of the questions raised, the skill required to properly conduct the case, the responsibility assumed, the care and diligence exhibited at trial, the results obtained in the suit, the character and standing of Schinnerer's attorney, and the customary charges by attorneys for similar services. The district court reviewed the proceedings in the county court, considered the 16 assignments of error and issued its opinion affirming the order of the county court in all respects, and awarded attorney fees. While Nebraska Diamond points us to other cases under the Wage Payment Act where the plaintiffs were awarded a lower percentage of fees than were awarded in this case, it does not otherwise indicate how the attorney fees awarded in this case were in error. There is nothing in the record to indicate that the county court or the district court abused its discretion in awarding a fee greater than the minimum 25 percent of the judgment, and we therefore affirm the awards of attorney fees in the county and district courts.