Opinion ID: 2580998
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: huckleberry is entitled to attorney fees and costs

Text: Idaho Appellate Rule (I.A.R.) 41 provides the procedure for requesting attorney fees on appeal. I.A.R. 41 allows this Court to award attorney fees only if permitted by some other statutory or contractual authority; it is not authority alone for awarding fees. Robbins v. County of Blaine, 134 Idaho 113, 120, 996 P.2d 813, 820 (2000). I.A.R. 41 requires that the request for attorney fees on appeal be made in the first brief from the respective party. I.A.R. 35(a)(5) and (6) also require that the requesting party put the request for fees in a separate section after the issues presented section and the request be discussed in the argument section. These procedural requirements have been met as Huckleberry made the request after the issues on appeal section in their first brief and the request was discussed in the argument section. In this case the authority permitting the recovery of attorney fees and costs is contractual. Paragraph fourteen of the Sale Agreement provides that, [i]f either party initiates or defends any arbitration or legal action or proceedings, which are in any way connected with this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover from the non-prevailing party reasonable costs and attorney's fees, including such costs and fees on appeal. Huckleberry is the prevailing party on appeal and is awarded attorney fees and costs associated with the original trial as well as its appeal to this Court.