Opinion ID: 1190415
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Attorney's fees awarded for counterclaim

Text: In COL No. 36, pursuant to HRS § 607-17, the trial court awarded WBIC attorney's fees in the amount of $50,000.00 (being twenty-five percent of $200,000.00) incurred in successfully prosecuting its counterclaim. [22] WBIC contends that COL No. 36 is erroneous because the trial court failed to include prejudgment interest and the monthly partial payments paid by WBIC to the Group for future rent and real property taxes on Lot 54, as required by the Joinder Agreement, in the judgment amount upon which the attorney's fees were calculated. We agree in part. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying WBIC prejudgment interest as part of the judgment. See Section II. C.2.h., infra. However, in accordance with our discussion and holding in Section II. C.2.e. of this opinion, the trial court should have considered, in calculating WBIC's attorney's fees, the monthly payments made pursuant to the Joinder Agreement reflecting fourteen percent of the Group's future lease rent obligations. Accordingly, we hold that the trial court abused its discretion when it awarded WBIC $50,000.00 for attorney's fees without taking these monthly payments into account.