Opinion ID: 2570123
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Whether Harger is entitled to attorney's fees on appeal.

Text: Harger requests attorney's fees and costs on appeal pursuant to the contract. A party may be entitled to attorney's fees under a contract even if it is established that no contract between the parties ever existed. Garner v. Bartschi, 139 Idaho 430, 439, 80 P.3d 1031, 1040 (2003); Ayotte v. Redmon, 110 Idaho 726, 728, 718 P.2d 1164, 1166 (1986) (finding that an award of attorney's fees under a contractual provision are proper in an action for rescission of the contract). Section 29 of the Purchase Agreement awards reasonable costs and attorney's fees to the prevailing party for any legal action brought or defended in connection with the Purchase Agreement. Even though the contract was unenforceable, it was a contract and had a severability clause, so the attorney fee provision is capable of enforcement. As the prevailing party on appeal, Harger is entitled to reasonable costs and attorney's fees in accordance with the Purchase Agreement. For the foregoing reasons, this Court affirms the district court's order rescinding the contract between Harger and O'Connor, with a return of O'Connor's deposit less the cost of construction materials in her possession. Attorney's fees and costs on appeal awarded to Harger. Chief Justice EISMANN, Justices BURDICK, J. JONES and HORTON, concur.