Opinion ID: 1242354
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Superior Court Must Reexamine the Attorney's Fees Award.

Text: The Order for Interim Support obligated Jim to pay $25,000 for Robin's attorney's fees and costs. Upon motion after trial, the court also ordered Jim to pay Robin an additional $30,000 in attorney's fees. The court awarded these fees after determining that Robin did not have economic parity with Jim and that Jim had a substantial income in excess of $160,000 per year. On appeal, Jim argues that he cannot afford to pay $55,000 for Robin's attorney's fees and that Robin has sufficient assets to pay her own legal fees. We have repeatedly stated that cost and attorney's fees awards in divorce cases are to be based primarily upon the relative economic situations and earning capacities of the parties. See Kelly v. Kelly, 926 P.2d 1168, 1170 n. 3 (Alaska 1996). If the parties have comparable economic situations and earning capacities, each party should bear his or her own costs. See Doyle v. Doyle, 815 P.2d 366, 373 (Alaska 1991). Otherwise, an award of attorney's fees is within the discretion of the trial court. See id. We have reversed attorney's fees awards where the spouse receiving the award has a higher earning capacity, see, e.g., Lone Wolf v. Lone Wolf, 741 P.2d 1187, 1189, 1192-93 (Alaska 1987); Siggelkow v. Siggelkow, 643 P.2d 985, 989 (Alaska 1982), or where the recipient spouse is in a relatively more favorable economic situation, even though that spouse's earning capacity is lower. See Cooke v. Cooke, 625 P.2d 291, 292-93 (Alaska 1981) (per curiam). In this case, Jim has a significantly higher earning capacity than Robin. [20] However, our conclusions in Parts IV.A-H, supra, may significantly impact the parties' financial situations. Therefore, on remand the superior court should reexamine the attorney's fees award to determine whether it is appropriate in light of our rulings in this case. [21]