Opinion ID: 1819644
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Whether Barnes was Entitled to the Costs of Collection.

Text: ¶ 20. The basis of Barnes' argument is that he was entitled to the costs of collection because his fees constituted an open account. See Miss.Code Ann. § 11-53-81 (Rev.2002) ([the defendant] shall be liable for reasonable attorney's fees to be set by the judge for the prosecution and collection of such claim when judgment on the claim is rendered in favor of the plaintiff.). Although the chancellor found that Barnes' fees were an open account, the court did not find that he was entitled to the costs of collection. ¶ 21. This Court finds it unnecessary to address this issue. Even if attorney's fees constitute an open account, Barnes is not entitled to the costs of collection under the statute. For entitlement to attorney's fees pursuant to Section 11-53-81, a plaintiff must secure a judgment on the claim in the amount sued for. Rainbow Rental and Fishing Tools, Inc. v. Delta Underground Storage, Inc., 542 So.2d 258, 263 (Miss.1989). In Rainbow Rental, Rainbow filed a complaint against Delta, asking for $32,357.98 on an open account, but the trial court found that Rainbow was entitled only to $5,529. Id. This Court concluded that Rainbow was not a prevailing party under the open account statute, and was not therefore entitled to attorney's fees. [4] Id. Like Rainbow, because the judgment in this case was partially in favor of both parties, Barnes was not entitled to attorney's fees for collecting the debt under the statute. ¶ 22. Moreover, [i]n breach of contract cases, attorney fees generally are not awarded absent provision for such in the contract or a finding of conduct so outrageous as to support an award of punitive damages. Garner v. Hickman, 733 So.2d 191, 198 (Miss.1999). In the present case, there was neither a specific contractual provision nor a finding that would support punitive damages. Accordingly, the chancellor did not abuse her discretion in denying Barnes the costs of collection.