Opinion ID: 1210221
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Attorney's Fees to Hawaii National Bank.

Text: The trial court erroneously denied attorney's fees to Hawaii National Bank on the reasoning that HRS § 607-17 precluded such an award. While that provision provides for awards only to a successful party, as between Hawaii National Bank and Akamine & Sons, Hawaii National Bank has successfully recovered on its notes. Also in the promissory notes and mortgage, upon which Hawaii National Bank's claim is based, Akamine & Sons agrees to pay attorney's fees, and the mortgage secures its payment. [7] The maximum amount of attorney's fees that can be awarded to Hawaii National Bank under HRS § 607-17 is 25% of the amount owed them. However, the record shows that Akamine & Sons offered no resistance in the proceedings instituted by Hawaii National Bank to collect on its debt secured by a second mortgage. The parcels of real property securing this debt having been foreclosed and sold by American Security Bank, owner of the first mortgage on the same property, Hawaii National Bank's claim secured by the second mortgage is to be satisfied in full by a portion of the foreclosure proceeds. Thus, no foreclosure proceeding has to be instituted by Hawaii National Bank. Therefore, under the record of this case we consider that Hawaii National Bank had obtained its judgment of $91,946.28 against Akamine & Sons by default and we are allowing Hawaii National Bank the sum of $2,923.66 under the provisions of Rule 10(d), Rules of the Circuit Courts. [8] Eight hundred seven dollars and twenty cents ($807.20) of costs is also awarded to Hawaii National Bank as provided for in the mortgage between Hawaii National Bank and Akamine & Sons.