Opinion ID: 1727275
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Whether HCA is entitled to recover its attorneys' fees from the City.

Text: ¶ 19. HCA's final assignment of error concerns its right to recover attorneys' fees from the City. HCA claims that the City requested it to prepare a proposed agreement to resolve the principal dispute between the two entities and that HCA prepared such an agreement. However, the City voted not to adopt the agreement. HCA contends that the City never even considered adopting the agreement, and HCA cites authority stating that attorney fees may be recovered where punitive damages would be justified. Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. Steele, 373 So.2d 797, 801 (Miss. 1979). HCA also states the well-established rule that punitive damages are appropriate when there is a wrongful act intentionally performed. Milner Hotels v. Brent, 207 Miss. 892, 899, 43 So.2d 654, 655 (1949). This argument is without merit. Sufficient facts have not been presented to in any way justify an award of punitive damages or attorneys' fees in this case. The City lawfully declined to adopt the agreement during a regular board meeting on March 11, 1997. Accordingly, this issue is wholly without merit. ¶ 20. For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the Circuit Court of Pike County is affirmed in all respects. ¶ 21. AFFIRMED. PRATHER, C.J., PITTMAN AND BANKS, P.JJ., SMITH, WALLER AND COBB, JJ., CONCUR. McRAE, J., CONCURS IN RESULT ONLY. DIAZ, J., NOT PARTICIPATING.