Opinion ID: 1360563
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 31

Heading: attorney's fees award to prevailing party

Text: 2. Whether the appellees were the prevailing parties in this appeal, and are entitled to attorney's fees pursuant to Rule of Appellate Procedure 508(e). The Alaska Supreme Court defines the prevailing party as follows: [T]he prevailing party to a suit is the one who successfully prosecutes the action or successfully defends against it, prevailing on the main issue, even though not to the extent of the original contention. He is the one in whose favor the decision or verdict is rendered and the judgment entered. Tobeluk v. Lind, 589 P.2d 873, 876 (Alaska 1979) (quoting Buza v. Columbia Lumber Co., 395 P.2d 511, 514 (Alaska 1964)). The main issue in this litigation was whether the ACS/DNR lease violated the debt restriction provision of article IX, section 8 of the Alaska Constitution. The appellant does not dispute that the appellees prevailed on the main issue of this litigation. The court affirmed the lease-purchase agreement, and ACS and DNR proceeded by implementing the lease based on this court's ruling. The remaining question is what reasonable attorney's fees should be awarded to the appellees as prevailing parties. An award of attorney's fees in an appeal of an agency decision to superior court is governed by Rule of Appellate Procedure 508. Appellate Rule 508 provides in relevant part: (e) Attorney's Fees. Attorney's fees may be allowed in an amount to be determined by the court. If such an allowance is made, the clerk shall issue an appropriate order awarding fees at the same time that an opinion or an order under Rule 214 is filed. If the court determines that an appeal or cross-appeal is frivolous or that it has been brought simply for purposes of delay, actual attorney's fees may be awarded to the appellee or cross-appellee. An award of attorney's fees pursuant to Appellate Rule 508(e) ordinarily should only partially compensate the prevailing party for attorney's fees. State Public Employees Retirement Board v. Cacioppo, 813 P.2d 679, 685 (Alaska 1991) (quoting Kenai Peninsula Borough v. Cook Inlet Region, Inc., 807 P.2d 487 (Alaska 1991)). In awarding attorney's fees pursuant to Civil Rule 508(e), a court may exercise its sound discretion to award attorney's fees which are justified and reasonable. Cacioppo at 685 (citing Stevens By Park View Corp. v. Richardson, 755 P.2d 389, 396 (Alaska 1988)). The court has reviewed the billing summaries submitted by the appellees in support of their motion for attorney's fees. The billing summaries reflect that the appellees expended a total of 235.6 total hours of attorney and paralegal time on this appeal, for a total value of $33,587.50. The appellees utilized paralegals for a total of 70.7 hours, or 30% of the total hours expended. In addition, the court notes that the record was lengthy, the issue was one of first impression, and the case was fully briefed by both parties. The appellant argues that where a party appeals an administrative agency decision, but receives no money judgement, the guidelines in Civil Rule 82(b)(2) may be applied by analogy to Appellate Rule 508(e) to determine a reasonable award of attorney's fees. The appellant argues that an award of attorney's fees pursuant to Civil Rule 82(b)(2) would result in an award of 20% of $33,587.50, or $6,717.50.