Opinion ID: 2514410
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the district court erroneously awarded attorney fees

Text: ¶ 38 Whether a party is entitled to an award of attorney fees is a legal conclusion  in this case a matter of contract interpretation  which we review for correctness. [27] In our review, we will first discuss the language of the two provisions in the Lease contract that provide for an award of attorney fees. One provision allows recovery of attorney fees only in actions instituted during the term of the Lease; the other allows recovery of attorney fees without regard to whether the action is instituted during the term of the Lease. IHC cannot claim attorney fees under the second provision because it voluntarily dismissed its claim under that provision. Therefore, the issue becomes whether this action was instituted during the term of this Lease as intended by the contracting parties. Because we conclude that the action was not instituted during the term of the Lease, we reverse the district court's award of attorney fees in this case.