Opinion ID: 2617106
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Williams's alleged intransigence and intent to deter future litigants

Text: A trial court may depart from the Rule 82(b)(1) schedule if a party is guilty of vexatious or bad faith conduct. Alaska R. Civ. P. 82(b)(3)(G). Reid alleges that Williams escalated litigation costs by refusing to settle, and that Williams's insurance carrier pursued a scorched earth litigation policy to deter future litigants. Williams contends that Reid's high expenses are due to Reid's litigation strategy, which complicated a garden variety medical malpractice case. Reid has not shown that the superior court abused its discretion by denying Reid's motion for enhanced attorney's fees on this ground. The superior court was in the best position to determine whether a party's behavior was excessively litigious or in bad faith. [18] The superior court also had discretion to consider Reid's unsuccessful claims when it awarded attorney's fees. See Alaska State Bank v. General Ins. Co., 579 P.2d 1362, 1369 (Alaska 1978) (stating that it was not manifestly unreasonable for the court to take into account that it ruled against the prevailing party on one of the contested issues when determining attorney's fees and costs). The superior court did not abuse its discretion by refusing to award enhanced attorney's fees based on Williams's refusal to settle. See Van Dort v. Culliton, 797 P.2d 642, 645 (Alaska 1990) (stating that trial court may not consider settlement negotiations as reasons to reduce or increase an attorney's fee award). Rule 68 did not apply, and the final judgment in the case was much less than the settlement offers. Rule 68 applies when the judgment finally rendered by the court is not more favorable to the offeree than the offer. Alaska R. Civ. P. 68(b).