Opinion ID: 2520360
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: the district court must make findings on the cost of creating and managing a document-tracking database

Text: The SIF argues the district court did not satisfy the test laid out in Israel v. Leachman, 139 Idaho 24, 72 P.3d 864, 866 (2003) in denying it discretionary costs associated with the creation and management of a document-tracking database. Israel, 139 Idaho at 27, 72 P.3d at 866. The district court granted the States' requested costs for photocopying and bate stamping which is also a form of document management, but provided no reason for its denial of Peel's electronic document-management fees. According to HLFPD, those charges were incurred by the SIF's paralegal and therefore should be itemized as attorney fees rather than as discretionary costs. The district court may in its discretion award a prevailing party certain costs where there has been a showing that the costs are necessary and exceptional, reasonably incurred, and should in the interests of justice be assessed against the adverse party. I.R.C.P. 54(d)(1)(D). Any party opposing the award will bear the burden of demonstrating an abuse of discretion by the trial court. I.R.C.P. 54(d)(1)(C), (D); Great Plains Equip., Inc. v. Northwest Pipeline Corp., 136 Idaho 466, 474, 36 P.3d 218, 226 (2001)(citing Perkins v. United States Transformer W., 132 Idaho 427, 431, 974 P.2d 73,77 (1999)). When ruling upon objections to discretionary costs the district court is required to make express findings as to whether the costs are reasonable, necessary, and exceptional and should be awarded against the adverse party in the interests of justice. I.R.C.P. 54(d)(1)(D); Perry v. Magic Valley Reg'l Med. Ctr., 134 Idaho 46, 60, 995 P.2d 816, 830 (2000)(where trial court failed to describe the circumstances giving rise to its allowing or disallowing certain costs the reviewing court could not determine if the trial court had applied the correct legal standard). The SIF's Memorandum of Costs requests an award of discretionary costs associated with Peel's work creating and managing a document-tracking database used in this case. However, in denying the SIF's discretionary costs, no mention is made of Peel's bill or why the fees were denied. It may be that in denying attorney fees the district court included Peel's costs in the denial. However, the SIF submitted Peel's bill as a discretionary cost and the district court must make a finding as to why the fee was denied.