Opinion ID: 4513426
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: standard of review

Text: [1] A jurisdictional question which does not involve a factual dispute is determined by an appellate court as a matter of law.3 3 J.S. v. Grand Island Public Schools, 297 Neb. 347, 899 N.W.2d 893 (2017). - 197 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 305 Nebraska Reports SELDIN v. ESTATE OF SILVERMAN Cite as 305 Neb. 185 [2] In reviewing a decision to vacate, modify, or confirm an arbitration award under the FAA, an appellate court is obligated to reach a conclusion independent of the trial court’s ruling as to questions of law.4 However, the trial court’s factual findings will not be set aside on appeal unless clearly erroneous.5 [3,4] On appeal, a trial court’s decision awarding or denying attorney fees will be upheld absent an abuse of discretion.6 When an attorney fee is authorized, the amount of the fee is addressed to the discretion of the trial court, whose ruling will not be disturbed on appeal in the absence of an abuse of discretion.7 [5] A motion to alter or amend a judgment is addressed to the discretion of the trial court, whose decision will be upheld in the absence of an abuse of that discretion.8 [6] A judicial abuse of discretion exists when the reasons or rulings of a trial judge are clearly untenable, unfairly depriving a litigant of a substantial right and denying just results in matters submitted for disposition.9