Opinion ID: 1739811
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: did the chancellor err in failing to award mrs. dillon attorneys fees?

Text: Under § 93-5-23, Miss. Code Ann. (Supp. 1979), chancellors are extended broad discretionary authority to make all orders touching the maintenance and alimony of a wife in a divorce proceeding. The scope of this statute is broad and includes granting chancellors the authority to award attorneys fees in divorce proceedings. This Court has held on numerous occasions that a question concerning attorneys fees is largely a matter entrusted to the sound discretion of the trial court. Kergosien v. Kergosien, 471 So.2d 1206, 1212 (Miss. 1985). Unless the chancellor abuses his discretion in such matters, his decision as to whether or not to award attorneys fees will generally be upheld. Ladner v. Ladner, 436 So.2d 1366, 1375 (Miss. 1983). Furthermore, where a wife has sufficient funds or separate estate with which to pay her own attorneys fees, we have held that the chancellor did not err in failing to award her legal fees. Harrell v. Harrell, 231 So.2d 793 (Miss. 1970). On the facts of the instant case we are satisfied that the chancellor's denial of attorneys fees to Mrs. Dillon was neither manifestly wrong nor an abuse of his discretion. There is no merit to this assignment of error. The judgment of the Chancery Court of Franklin County in the matter of Dillon v. Dillon is therefore affirmed. AFFIRMED. WALKER, C.J., ROY NOBLE LEE and HAWKINS, P.JJ., and DAN M. LEE, PRATHER, ROBERTSON, ANDERSON and GRIFFIN, JJ., concur.