Opinion ID: 1468976
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Delaware Finality and Attorney's Fees

Text: In this case, the ancillary relief at issue was for alimony and for an award of attorney's fees related to the application for alimony. The appellant filed this appeal after the issue of attorney's fees had been decided. This Court has held that an order is deemed final and appealable if the decision is the trial court's last act in disposing of all justiciable matters within its jurisdiction. [11] Section 1515 provides that the Family Court may from time to time award either party attorney's fees for maintaining or defending a divorce or any ancillary proceeding under Chapter 15 of Title 13. In most cases, an application for any type of ancillary relief in conjunction with a divorce proceeding is accompanied by a related application for attorney's fees. [12] Consequently, this Court has consistently held, and hereby reaffirmed, that a judgment on the merits of any request for ancillary relief is not final until an outstanding related application for an award of attorney's fees has been decided. [13] There are, however, two independent methods of seeking appellate review by this Court of a decision on the merits of a particular application for ancillary relief, before the issue of attorney's fees has been decided by the trial court. First, the party seeking to immediately appeal a ruling on the merits of an application for ancillary relief can seek interlocutory review, pursuant to Delaware Supreme Court Rule 42. [14] Second, and alternatively, the party seeking immediate review of an ancillary ruling can request the trial judge to certify the otherwise interlocutory ancillary decision on the merits as a final judgment, pursuant to Family Court Rule 54(c). [15]