Opinion ID: 1878842
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: should the lower court have assessed interest on the $2000.00 attorney's fees awarded on appeal by the mississippi supreme court?

Text: ¶ 9. The chancery court's findings of fact reiterated that this Court awarded $16,425.10 in damages and $118 in initial court costs to the Theobalds. On January 14, 2000, this Court further awarded the Theobalds $2000 in attorney's fees. On February 9, 2000, the Nossers paid the Theobalds $18,543.10, the sum of these figures. Still unsatisfied, the Theobalds assert that they are also entitled to interest on the $2000 in attorney's fees for the 55 days between January 14 and February 9. ¶ 10. In support of their argument, the Theobalds cite Johnson v. Summer, 488 F.Supp. 83 (N.D.Miss.1980), which the chancery court had previously rejected as not being on point. In Johnson, a federal court judge, interpreting 42 U.S.C. § 1988, concluded that the legislative history of § 1988 supported the awarding of interest on attorney's fees where doing so was necessary to enhance the civil rights purpose of the statute. Johnson, 488 F.Supp. at 86. The Theobalds offer no other authority or rationale for awarding interest on attorney's fees in a case based on common law contract principles. We agree that the chancery court was correct in finding that Johnson is not on point. The chancery court did not err in denying the Theobalds' interest on the post-judgment attorney's fees.