Opinion ID: 2617612
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: the wife's appeal-related attorney's fee quest

Text: The wife claims in this court the sum of $9,061.17 in appeal-related attorney's fee and costs because she prevailed in the Court of Appeals on the retirement fund issue. Counsel fees on appeal, much like taxable costs, may be judicially authorized in the case in which the services were performed. [42] Widespread courthouse folklore  that either the prevailing party in the case or the principal spousal provider is under a duty to pay counsel fees in matrimonial litigation  is not the law in Oklahoma. It is a hard-to-repress legal myth. The terms of 43 O.S. 1991 § 110 plainly provide that either spouse may be required to pay reasonable expenses of the other in the prosecution or defense of the action as may be just and proper considering the respective parties and the means and property of each. Counsel-fee allowances, which never depend on one's status as prevailing party in the case, must be granted only to that litigant who qualifies for the benefit through the process of a judicial balancing of the equities. [43] Property set apart to the wife consists of: (a) 2 vehicles ($6,850); (b) real estate (equity-$48,415); (c) one-half of the retirement fund's in-marriage enhancement ($50,000); and (d) personal property ($2,500). She was allocated the debt of $24,500. The husband received: (a) camper ($4,500); (b) tractor ($9,000); (c) motorcycle ($1,000); (d) 2 cars ($8,200); (e) personal property ($1,500); (f) real property (equity-$3,570) and (g) one-half of the retirement fund's in-marriage enhancement ($50,000). [44] The division of marital assets, considered with the debt allocation, resulted in a net award of $83,265 to the wife and $77,770 to the husband. The wife also received support alimony of $15,000 payable over 15 months at the rate of $1,000 a month as well as trial-related attorney's fee of $2,500. Based on our careful consideration of the equities that affect these parties, we conclude that each should bear its own counsel-fee and other litigation expenses incident to the appeal and certiorari process. The trial court is not precluded from entertaining pleas for a counsel-fee award and for litigation expenses to be connected with legal services to be rendered and expenses to be incurred in the proceedings upon remand. These pleas should be brought after the post-remand evidentiary process has been concluded.