Opinion ID: 1227141
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: wheeler's appeal

Text: Wheeler argues that the trial court erred by utilizing only certain facts emphasized in this Court's opinion in Wheeler's first appeal. Wheeler challenged several facts as stated in the opinion alleging that these facts were contrary to testimony during the first hearing before the trial court. In the second hearing, following the remand to the trial court, Wheeler addressed his concerns to the trial court that testimony and documents were cited by this Court that were not a part of the record. He argued that the trial court was not bound by the factual determinations that were addressed in this Court's opinion. Wheeler admitted to the trial judge that he had not petitioned for rehearing. The trial judge answered that he did not have the authority to find that the Supreme Court had gone outside the record or erred in its opinion. In this appeal, Wheeler sets out the facts listed in this Court's opinion he considered to be erroneous and not supported by the record. One purpose of permitting a rehearing is to allow a party to assert what he perceives to be errors in factual statements cited in an opinion of this Court. By failing to petition for rehearing, Wheeler waived his right to challenge any of those statements. This does not prevent this Court from reviewing the trial court judgment to determine if the trial court followed this Court's directions. Where a case is remanded, the trial court is bound by the settled law of the case. The settled law of the case bars relitigation of only those issues that have been settled by an appellate opinion. Mobbs v. City of Lehigh, 655 P.2d 547, 549, 31 A.L.R. 4th 1 (Okla. 1982). The trial court had set the attorney fee in the remanded case at $125,723.00. The opinion analyzed the fee pursuant to the twelve guidelines listed on pages 395 and 396 of the opinion. Our opinion concluded that the fee allowed by the trial court was excessive. Robert L. Wheeler, Inc., 777 P.2d at 398-399. But we added that making an initial determination of question of fact was not the function of this Court. Robert L. Wheeler, Inc. 777 P.2d at 399. The opinion determined that the attorney fee awarded was too high, and articulated the legal method to be used in setting the fee. This left the trial court free to make initial determinations of fact. Upon remand the trial court made new findings of fact, which the trial court had the authority to do. Wheeler complains that our opinion should have been guided by the rules of contract instead of principles of equity. Whether this Court considers this case as one of contract, and therefore an action at law, or one in equity determines the extent of review, that is, how this Court views the facts found by the trial court. In cases of purely equitable cognizance, the entire record will be examined and the evidence weighed, but a the judgment of the trial court will not be reversed unless it appears to be clearly against the weight of the evidence. Oklahoma Company v. O'Neil, 440 P.2d 978, 990 (Okla. 1968). Judgment of the appellate court should not lightly displace the judgment of the trial court, which had the advantage of observing the witnesses on the stand. Renegar v. Staples, 388 P.2d 867, 873 (Okla. 1964). In a case involving the breach of a contract, the credibility of witnesses and the effect and weight to be given to testimony are questions of fact to be determined by the trier of the facts, whether court or jury, and are not questions of law for the Supreme Court on appeal. M-A-C Finance Co. of Tulsa v. Parker, 408 P.2d 552, 556 (Okla. 1965). In an action at law, the findings of fact by the trial court have the same force and effect as the verdict of a jury, and those findings will not be disturbed upon appeal where there is any evidence reasonably tending to support the findings. Bounds v. Gooch, 92 Okl. 260, 219 P. 105, 106 (1923). Neither the Burk case nor the Oliver's Sports Center case involved a contract for attorney fees between a lawyer and his client. Burk involved the fixing of attorney fees from a common, equitable fund created for the City through the efforts of attorneys. The Oliver's Sports Center case involved the awarding of attorney fees based upon 36 O.S.Supp. 1977 § 3629(B), which is a prevailing party statute. This Court has allowed attorney fees that were fixed by contract to be enforced even though the fees were greater than a court of equity may have allowed on a quantum meruit basis. Bishop v. Franks, 188 Okl. 196, 107 P.2d 358, 359-360 (1940). Nevertheless, even where there is a contract between the lawyer and his client for a certain fee, the contract will not be upheld or enforced where the compensation is so excessive as to evidence a purpose on the part of the attorney to obtain an improper or undue advantage over the client. Renegar v. Staples, 388 P.2d 867, 872 (Okl. 1964). Although this case remains an action at law because it is one of contract, under Renegar the trier of fact may still determine that the compensation was so excessive as to be overreaching, and the Robert L. Wheeler, Inc. case and the reasoning therein is proper authority for making such a determination. We agree with Wheeler that a simple, basic comparison of the billable hours of the advocates does not determine what is a reasonable cap on those billable hours. There are at least two parties to every lawsuit, and each party is faced with different research, modes of strategy and levels of preparation and paperwork. Likewise, the levels of proficiency, experience, and ability may not be equal. If one side of a lawsuit is considered to be simple then the opposing counsel may have a more complex and difficult task making a case to overcome that simplicity and prevail. The billable hours will likely reflect those differences. Unfortunately, the trial court read our opinion as placing an outer limit upon attorney's fees based on the billable hours of the prevailing party. Because there is some evidence that the number of billable hours should have been reduced, we do not reverse those factual findings of the trial court. Nevertheless, there is a mixed question of law and fact concerning whether Wheeler's hourly rate should have been reduced. The parties agreed that the fee would be based on an hourly rate. Robert L. Wheeler, Inc., 777 P.2d at 397. The transcript of the first hearing, which was relied upon in the hearing after remand reveals that Scott admitted Wheeler had told him what the hourly fees would be. Scott: He [Wheeler] told us that the hourly rates for his associates would be ninety dollars an hour and that his rate would be a hundred and thirty-five dollars an hour. That Scott agreed to the hourly rate is uncontradicted. That Scott had prior dealings with lawyers is uncontradicted. Although the trial court may have found that he did not agree to an unreasonable number of hours, there is no evidence to show that he was overreached by agreeing to an hourly fee of ninety dollars for associates and one hundred and thirty-five dollars for Wheeler's fees. Therefore, as a matter of law, we find that the contract should be enforced at the rate agreed upon. The trial court found that Wheeler expended a total of 390.7 hours, and that the hours expended by the associates which the court considered reasonable were 459.3. [7] This would result in a fee of $41,337.00 for the associates and $52,744.50 for Wheeler for a total attorney's fee of $94,081.50. [8] This amount is less than the $125,723.00 this Court found unreasonable in its prior opinion, but more than the $75,500.00 awarded by the trial court.