Opinion ID: 1308260
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Attorney-Fee Award.

Text: Central United claims that Wooldridge's recovery of attorney fees pursuant to section 91A.8 was excessive. The total claim for attorney fees and expenses was $28,617.91. The actual attorney fee was a one-third contingent fee, but the claim was submitted on an hourly rate basis. The district court allowed a total award for fees and expenses in the sum of $25,736.45. We review this determination on an abuse-of-discretion standard. Mississippi Valley Broad., Inc. v. Mitchell, 503 N.W.2d 617, 619 (Iowa App.1993). Central United's main challenge to the attorney-fee award involves hourly rate charges for paralegal services and hourly attorney-fee charges during the time the parties were waiting for the jury to return its verdict. We have carefully considered these contentions and conclude that based on these challenges the attorney-fee award allowed by the district court for services and expenses at trial should be reduced to the sum of $22,190.45. After issuance of the procedendo from this court, Wooldridge may apply to the district court for an allowance of attorney fees and expenses for services performed on this appeal.