Opinion ID: 2549213
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 18

Heading: when taxing court costs courts must adhere strictly to legislative enactments

Text: ¶ 7 Combining an appeal-related attorney's fee with appellate costs for treatment as a single category of burdens to be imposed in the aftermath of appellate litigation strips the Legislature of its control over court costs. Early jurisprudence carefully avoids this conflict between legislative and judicial authority by ceding to the legislature the sole responsibility for controlling the taxation regime of court costs. When taxing court costs courts must adhere strictly to legislative enactments. [28] ¶ 8 It is this court's duty to obey the legislative cost-allocation scheme. [29] Section 978 very plainly prescribes that appellate costs be taxed in favor of the prevailing party. It allows no exceptions for any class of litigation and leaves no room for judicial tinkering.