Opinion ID: 1451383
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Propriety of Attorney's Fees Award

Text: Schwartz alternatively contends that the district court abused its discretion in awarding attorney's fees because it failed to specifically consider each of the following factors: (1) whether the plaintiff's claim was brought in good faith; (2) whether the defendants' offer of judgment as reasonable and in good faith in both its timing and amount; (3) whether the plaintiff's decision to reject the offer and proceed to trial was grossly unreasonable or in bad faith; and (4) whether the fees sought by the offeror are reasonable and justified in amount. See Beattie, 99 Nev. at 588-89, 668 P.2d at 274. We disagree. Beattie requires the district court to weigh the enumerated factors before awarding up to the full amount requested. If the district court fails to consider these factors and makes no findings based upon the evidence that the attorney's fees sought are reasonable and justified, it is an abuse of discretion for the court to award the full amount of the fees requested. Id. at 589, 668 P.2d at 274. The district court need not, however, make explicit findings as to all of the factors where support for an implicit ruling regarding one or more of the factors is clear on the record. See National Union Fire Ins. v. Pratt and Whitney, 107 Nev. 535, 543-44, 815 P.2d 601, 606 (1991). The record reveals that the district court considered and evaluated the Beattie factors in determining whether to award Greenspun attorney's fees. The district court reviewed written points and authorities addressing each of the Beattie factors as they pertained to the facts of this case and heard the argument of counsel on the subject. In its order awarding fees and costs, the district court indicated that it had considered and evaluated the four factors in finding that $150,000 was a reasonable award for attorney's fees. Although the district court failed to enter express findings regarding the Beattie factors, it also awarded fees in an amount that was substantially less than the sum requested by Greenspun. We conclude on this record that the district court's award of fees should be affirmed. However, we caution the trial bench to provide written support under the Beattie factors for awards of attorney's fees made pursuant to offers of judgment even where the award is less than the sum requested. It is difficult at best for this court to review claims of error in the award of such fees where the courts have failed to memorialize, in succinct terms, the justification or rationale for the awards. Such findings are of special importance where, as here, large sums are awarded as fees. Nevertheless, given the fact that the district court judge did consider the Beattie factors in reaching his finding, and given the magnitude of the reduction in the amount of fees awarded compared to the total fees requested, we have concluded that it would simply add to the costs of this protracted litigation to remand for a more detailed justification of the award by the trial judge.