Opinion ID: 2380945
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Did the district court abuse its discretion by ordering the parties to pay their own attorneys' fees and costs?

Text: [¶ 14] ANB argues that the district court abused its discretion when it ordered each party to pay its own attorneys' fees and costs associated with filing and defending the motion to enforce. Regarding denials of an award of attorneys' fees and costs, we have said the following: We review the denial of an award for attorney fees for an abuse of discretion. Mueller v. Zimmer, 2007 WY 195, ¶ 11, 173 P.3d 361, 364 (Wyo.2007) (citing Cline v. Rocky Mountain, Inc., 998 P.2d 946, 951 (Wyo.2000)). A court abuses its discretion only when it acts in a manner which exceeds the bounds of reason under the circumstances. The burden is placed upon the party who is attacking the trial court's ruling to establish an abuse of discretion, and the ultimate issue is whether the court could reasonably conclude as it did. Cline, 998 P.2d at 951 (quoting Johnston v. Stephenson, 938 P.2d 861, 862 (Wyo.1997)). We have said that [j]udicial discretion is a composite of many things, among which are conclusions drawn from objective criteria; it means a sound judgment exercised with regard to what is right under the circumstances and without doing so arbitrarily or capriciously. Mueller, ¶ 11, 173 P.3d at 364 (quoting Ekberg v. Sharp, 2003 WY 123, ¶ 9, 76 P.3d 1250, 1253 (Wyo. 2003)). If the record includes sufficient evidence to support the district court's exercise of discretion, we uphold its decision. MTM v. LD (In re KJD), 2002 WY 26, ¶ 21, 41 P.3d 522, 527 (Wyo.2002). Stafford v. JHL, Inc., 2008 WY 128, ¶¶ 14-15, 194 P.3d 315, 318 (Wyo.2008). Furthermore, Wyoming follows the American rule that each party is normally responsible for his or her own attorney fees. There are two exceptions to this rule: when there is an express statutory authorization or a contractual provision that allows for an award of attorney fees to a party. We have denied attorney fees where neither exception is applicable. Snodgrass v. Rissler & McMurry Co., 903 P.2d 1015, 1017 (Wyo.1995) (internal citations omitted). [¶ 15] The Release provides the following regarding attorneys' fees and costs: 26. As part of this Release, Louise J. Sara, Richard P. Sara, Joseph D. Sara, and Sharon L. Sara acknowledge that they have had the opportunity to consult with and be represented by independent legal counsel of their own choosing, and that each of the parties shall be responsible for their own attorneys' fees, costs, and associated expenses pertaining to the prosecution and defense of these lawsuits. This provision does not pertain to the current issue of attorneys' fees and costs associated with ANB's later motion to enforce; rather, it pertains to fees and costs that occurred prior to the Release. There is no contract between the parties that would alter the American rule as it applies to the attorneys' fees and costs relating to ANB's motion to enforce. [¶ 16] ANB acknowledges that Wyoming follows the American rule; nevertheless, ANB argues that Joseph should be required to pay ANB's attorneys' fees and costs because Joseph acted in bad faith in concealing the existence of the mortgage and note until long after the Release was executed, and then attempted to collect on the note and mortgage. ANB relies on Snodgrass, 903 P.2d at 1017, for the proposition that in the absence of a contractual provision or statutory authority a party may be awarded attorneys' fees and costs if he or she can show that fraud, malice, oppression or willful wrong has occurred. In Snodgrass, we did note an exception to the American rule, stating that [i]n a replevin action, a party may be awarded attorney fees when they can show that `fraud, malice, oppression or willful wrong' has occurred. 903 P.2d at 1017 (quoting Olds v. Hosford, 354 P.2d 947, 950 (Wyo.1960)). As indicated by the text of that quote, the exception has been limited to replevin actions. Snodgrass did not expand the holding in Hosford beyond replevin actions, but was determined instead on our conclusion that bad faith had not been proven. Snodgrass, 903 P.2d at 1019; see also McNeill Family Trust v. Centura Bank, 2003 WY 2, ¶ 32, 60 P.3d 1277, 1289 (Wyo. 2003) (noting the fraud exception in replevin actions). We are not convinced that the facts of this case are such that we should broaden the exception to the American rule mentioned in Snodgrass.