Opinion ID: 4328912
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Award of Costs and Fees

Text: We turn finally to the issue of attorney’s fees and costs. If the trial court grants a motion to compel discovery, then “the court must, after giving an opportunity to be heard, require the party . . . whose conduct necessitated the motion . . . to pay the movant’s reasonable expenses incurred in making the motion, including attorney’s fees.” Super. Ct. Civ. R. 37 (a)(5)(A) (emphasis added).18 We review the trial court’s decision respecting attorney’s fees for abuse of discretion, Ill. Farmers Ins. Co. v. Hagenberg, 167 A.3d 1218, 1232 (D.C. 2017) (citation omitted), and “[w]e have held that a trial court abuses its discretion by: (1) failing to consider a relevant factor; (2) relying upon an improper factor; or (3) failing to provide reasons that support the trial court’s conclusions.” In re Estate of McDaniel, 953 A.2d 1021, 1023–24 (D.C. 2008) (citing Johnson v. United States, 398 A.2d 354, 366–67 (D.C. 1979)). 18 The Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure were amended on June 1, 2017, long after the trial court granted the motion to compel. The version of Super. Ct. Civ. R. 37 in effect at the time of the court’s ruling on the motion to compel is identical to the current version. 23 We determine that the trial court abused its discretion for two reasons. First, after granting the motion to compel, the trial court failed to afford the parties an opportunity to be heard separately on the issues of attorney’s fees and costs as required by Rule 37 (a)(5)(A). Second, the trial court did not provide any reasoning to support its conclusion that only a de minimis amount of expense reimbursement was warranted (and, as Tiger Steel asserts, it appears that the court had no record evidence of the actual fees and costs claimed by Tiger Steel). Accordingly, we vacate the trial court’s October 4, 2016, award of fees and costs and remand this matter to the Superior Court to determine anew the reasonable expenses to which Tiger Steel may be entitled.19 So ordered. 19 Symbion’s motion to strike Part II of Tiger Steel’s reply brief is denied as moot. The motion of Zachary Prince to withdraw as counsel for Tiger Steel for business reasons is granted.