Opinion ID: 1436053
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Timeliness of the Submission

Text: [¶ 5] The rule governing timing of applications for attorney fees, M.R. Civ. P. 54(b)(3), states: When final judgment has been entered on all claims except a claim for attorney fees, an application for the award of attorney fees shall be filed within 60 days after entry of judgment if no appeal has been filed. If an appeal has been filed, the application may be filed and acted upon in the trial court at any time after entry of the judgment appealed from and in any case shall be filed not later than 30 days after final disposition of the action. An application for attorney fees shall ordinarily be acted upon by the justice or judge who rendered the judgment on the merits. [¶ 6] Scotia contends that Lee's supplemental submission should have been disregarded because it was filed more than thirty days after the file was returned to the Superior Court. M.R. Civ. P. 54(b)(3) addresses an application for the award of attorney fees [w]hen final judgment has been entered on all claims except a claim for attorney fees.... Thus, it anticipates the initial application for attorney fees. Here, Lee had filed an initial application for attorney fees and received a final judgment on the award of attorney fees. We then remanded explicitly for determination of Lee's additional attorney fees and costs on appeal. [¶ 7] Because Lee's initial application for attorney fees preceeded Lee I, his supplemental application for attorney fees is not subject to the time limits for initial applications set in M.R. Civ. P. 54(b)(3). [2] While undue delay in filing a supplemental application for attorney fees may be considered by the trial court and could, in certain circumstances, justify denial or reduction of an attorney fee request, no such action was required of the trial court in this case.