Opinion ID: 2517252
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Did the District Court Err in Awarding Attorney Fees Incurred in the Proceedings on Remand?

Text: The district court awarded Mike $15,193.13 in attorney fees for the remand proceedings, based upon the attorney fee provision in the settlement agreement. Ed contends that the settlement agreement does not permit the award of attorney fees to litigate the reasonableness of the attorney fee award for litigating the merits of the case. The attorney fee provision in the settlement agreement provided, In the event of any legal action to enforce the terms of this settlement agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to an award of costs, including attorney fees. The terms of the settlement agreement include the term providing that the prevailing party was entitled to an award of attorney fees. Where Mike prevailed in this litigation brought to enforce other terms in the agreement, the continuation of the litigation in order to determine the amount that he is entitled to be awarded in attorney fees is likewise part of the legal action to enforce the terms of the agreement. He is enforcing his right to be awarded reasonable attorney fees as the prevailing party in the action. Where he had a legal right to recover attorney fees as the prevailing party in the action, litigation over the amount of the attorney fee award is also part of the legal action for which he is entitled to an award of attorney fees. [4] The district court did not err in holding that Mike was entitled to an award of attorney fees for the proceedings on remand.