Opinion ID: 1153138
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Attorney fees related to post-decree action

Text: The trial court awarded the husband $2,000 in attorney fees related to the omitted issues of joint liability resulting from the tax audit and related professional expenses in defending the audit. Title 43, section 110(C) of the Oklahoma Statutes allows the trial judge to apportion the expenses in a just and proper manner. Thielenhaus v. Thielenhaus, 890 P.2d 925, 935 (Okla.1995), teaches that attorney fees must be awarded to the party who qualifies for the benefit through the process of a judicial balancing of the equities. The wife asserts that the trial judge used the prevailing party standard in awarding the $2,000 in attorney fees. There is nothing in the record which supports this position. Likewise the record is void of any evidence that suggests the trial court did not balance the equities or that he abused his discretion.