Opinion ID: 880175
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Clayson is entitled to attorney fees on appeal.

Text: Both parties request attorney fees on appeal. Zebe requests attorney fees under I.C. § 12120(3), and Clayson requests attorney fees based upon I.C. §§ 12-120(3) and -121. Under either section, only the prevailing party is entitled to attorney fees on appeal. Therefore, because Clayson is the prevailing party, Zebe is not entitled to attorney fees on appeal. Clayson argues that if he is the prevailing party, he is entitled to attorney fees on appeal under Idaho Code. § 12-120(3) because a commercial transaction is the gravamen of the lawsuit. In any civil action to recover on an open account, account stated, note, bill, negotiable instrument, guaranty, or contract relating to the purchase or sale of goods, wares, merchandise, or services and in any commercial transaction unless otherwise provided by law, the prevailing party shall be allowed a reasonable attorney’s fee to be set by the court, to be taxed and collected as costs. The term “commercial transaction” is defined to mean all transactions except transactions for personal or household purposes. I.C. § 12-120(3). In determining whether to award fees under § 12-120(3), “[i]t has long been held that ‘[t]he critical test is whether the commercial transaction comprises the gravamen of the lawsuit; the commercial transaction must be integral to the claim and constitute a basis on which the party is attempting to recover.’” Great Plains Equip., Inc. v. Nw. Pipeline Corp., 136 Idaho 466, 471, 36 P.3d 218, 223 (2001) (quoting Bingham v. Montane Res. Assocs., 133 Idaho 420, 426, 987 P.2d 1035, 1041 (1999)). In this case, Clayson brought his action to recover on a contract under which Zebe promised to reimburse him for refurbishment work on a cheese factory. While the district court determined that there was no express contract, it eventually found for Clayson under the doctrine of implied-in-fact contract, based upon the same circumstances. Thus, a commercial transaction is both integral to the claim and is the basis of Clayson’s recovery, and Clayson is entitled to attorney fees under I.C. § 12-120(3).