Opinion ID: 874236
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The district court erred in affirming the magistrate court's judgment ordering Hausladen to pay for Sahlin's services.

Text: On appeal, Hausladen asserts, among other substantive and procedural theories, that the services billed by Sahlin were performed without any authority and thus Hausladen had no obligation to pay. This Court finds that the district court erred in affirming the magistrate court's judgment ordering Hausladen to pay for Sahlin's services, but we remand for a determination regarding what services provided by Sahlin, if any, fall within the authority of I.C. § 32-717D(3) and I.R.C.P. 16( l )(1). The interpretation of a statute is a question of law over which this Court exercises free review. State v. Doe, 147 Idaho 326, 327, 208 P.3d 730, 731 (2009). The purpose of statutory interpretation is to ascertain and give effect to legislative intent. Id. at 328, 208 P.3d at 732. Statutory interpretation begins with the literal words of a statute. Doe v. Boy Scouts of America, 148 Idaho 427, ___, 224 P.3d 494, 497 (2009). Those words should be given their plain meaning, unless a contrary legislative purpose is expressed or the plain meaning creates an absurd result. Id. If the words of the statute are subject to more than one meaning, it is ambiguous and this Court must construe the statute to mean what the legislature intended it to mean. To determine that intent, [this Court] examine[s] not only the literal words of the statute, but also the reasonableness of proposed constructions, the public policy behind the statute, and its legislative history. State v. Doe, 147 Idaho at 328, 208 P.3d at 732 (quoting Hayden Lake Fire Prot. Dist. v. Alcorn, 141 Idaho 388, 398-99, 111 P.3d 73, 83-84 (2005)). Idaho Code § 32-717D governs the use of parenting coordinators in divorce actions. Subsection (1) of the statute reads, in pertinent part: Provided that a court has entered a judgment or an order establishing child custody in a case, the court may order the appointment of a parenting coordinator to perform such duties as authorized by the court, consistent with any controlling judgment or order of a court relating to the child or children of the parties, and as set forth within the order of appointment. . . . At any time during the period of appointment, the court, on its own initiative, or upon request of the parenting coordinator or either party, may hold a status conference to review the continued appointment of the coordinator and/or the status of the case.