Opinion ID: 2185590
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The trial court properly denied Harlan reimbursement of attorney's fees and expenses from the Jennie Jacobsen estate.

Text: Under South Dakota law, attorney's fees are allowed in actions only when specifically provided by statute according to SDCL 15-17-7 which reads: The court may allow attorneys' fees as costs for or against any party to an action only in the cases if it is specifically provided by statute.... We are unable to find any precise authority allowing attorney's fees to petitioners in guardianship proceedings. However, attorney's fees in guardianship proceedings may be authorized pursuant to SDCL 30-26-3 [2] vis-a-vis SDCL 30-25-6. [3] Under SDCL 30-25-6, fees are awarded as a necessary expense for the care and management of the estate. However, before an award will be made, a two-prong test must be met: (1) the services rendered must be beneficial to the estate, and (2) the services were necessary because of laches, negligence, fraud or failure to defend an interest of the estate, by the personal representative of the estate. Matter of Hadleigh D. Hyde Trust, 458 N.W.2d 802 (S.D.1990); Matter of Estate of Hafferman, 442 N.W.2d 238 (S.D.1989). At this time, we are unable to award attorney's fees to Harlan because he did not undertake the care and management of the estate. Absent this criteria, we are of the opinion that the trial court properly denied Harlan's request.