Opinion ID: 2609567
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The award of attorney fees was proper.

Text: Defendants' second assignment of error is that the trial court erred in awarding excessive attorney fees in the sum of $9,250 for the trial and appeal of the original case and $3,500 for the trial of this case. At a separate hearing on attorney fees plaintiffs' attorneys offered in evidence records showing that they devoted 262.5 hours of work in the trial and appeal of the original case and that $40 per hour is a reasonable charge for the work of an attorney in a case of this nature, so as to result in a total fee of $10,500. Defendants offered the testimony of an experienced and respected trial lawyer as an expert witness who testified that, in his opinion, it should not have been necessary to devote that much time to the trial and appeal of the original case; that a fee of $1,800 to $2,000 would be a reasonable fee for the trial of the case, based upon a charge of $35 per hour and that $3,000 would be a reasonable fee for the appeal of the case, based upon a charge of $30 per hour, so as to result in a total fee of between $3,000 and $4,000. It has long been settled in Oregon that the amount of attorney fees to be allowed in both an action at law and a suit in equity is a question of fact to be determined by the trier of the facts upon pleading and evidence in the same manner as any other question of fact, unless the parties stipulate that the court may fix the attorney fees without hearing evidence on that issue. See State High. Com. et al. v. Kendrick et al., 227 Or. 608, 610-611, 363 P.2d 1078 (1961), and the numerous cases cited therein. Although this action seeks a declaratory judgment relating to the validity and application of the indemnity provisions of the lease, it is essentially an action at law to recover a judgment under a contract of indemnity. The award by the trial court of $9,250 in attorney fees for the trial and appeal of the original case, as that matter was presented to the trial court for decision in this case, was based implicitly upon its determination of the amount of time reasonably required for the trial and appeal of that case and what would be a reasonable charge per hour for such a trial and appeal, in the light of the nature and difficulty of the case, the amount involved, and the result obtained, among other things. See Chalmers v. Oregon Auto. Ins. Co., 263 Or. 449, 455, 502 P.2d 1378 (1972). See also Code of Professional Responsibility DR 2-106, and 3 Appleman, Insurance Law and Practice 424, § 1646 (1967). Under these facts and circumstances, this court cannot properly set aside an award of attorney fees by a trial court which is based upon substantial, competent evidence. State High. Com. et al. v. Kendrick et al., supra, 227 Or. 613, 363 P.2d 1078; Highway Com. v. Zachary et al., 230 Or. 381, 383, 370 P.2d 237 (1962), and cases and authorities cited therein. The trial court was also in a better position than this court to consider the credibility of the testimony and time records offered by plaintiffs and the testimony offered by defendants and to consider the amount of time reasonably required for the trial and appeal of the original case, and a reasonable charge per hour for such time, as well as other factors to be considered in the determination and award of a reasonable attorney fee for both the trial and appeal of the original case and for the trial of this case. It would appear that the award by the trial court would compensate plaintiffs' attorneys for the amount of work devoted by them, according to their time records, at a rate of between $35 and $40 per hour. We cannot say that an award of attorney fees based upon such an hourly charge for the defense of a personal injury case by an insurance company or in an action for indemnity between insurance companies was excessive. On the contrary, we hold that the award by the trial court was supported by substantial, competent evidence. Finding no error, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed. [3] DENECKE and BRYSON, JJ., did not participate in this decision.