Opinion ID: 2617665
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Post-Trial Attorney Fees

Text: First, Canyon Country claims post-trial attorney fees for the cost of opposing the insurers' motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict or, in the alternative, a new trial. After trial, the judge denied Canyon Country's motion without a hearing or written comment. Because the jury awarded attorney fees and the trial judge found sufficient evidence to uphold that verdict, Canyon Country argues that all necessary post-trial services are eligible for compensation as well. Canyon Country also argues that because the insurers acted in bad faith and were stubbornly litigious, case law and section 78-27-56 of the Utah Code require that fees related to post-trial motions be awarded. As previously noted, Canyon Country was entitled to recover as consequential damages the amount it was obliged to pay as attorney fees. That amount was one-third of the recovery. Because this amount covered all of Canyon Country's counsels' work, there can be no basis for adding to the damages any amount for post-trial motions. Beyond the damages awarded, Canyon Country can recover attorney fees only if provided for by statute or contract. Turtle Management, Inc. v. Haggis Management, 645 P.2d at 671. Because there was no attorney fee provision in the insurance contract in this case, the only basis for an award would be a finding of bad faith under Utah Code Ann. § 78-27-56. [6] It was within the trial court's discretion to determine bad faith under this section. The statute does not require a trial court to hold a hearing to determine if a party has been stubbornly litigious or if an action was without merit. Nor does it require written findings on the bad faith issue. [7] Upon review of the record, we cannot say that a determination that the insurers had no bad faith insofar as is related to this post-trial motion was an abuse of discretion. The trial was marked at times by sharply conflicting evidence, and credibility played a key role. We therefore affirm the trial court's decision to deny Canyon Country's motion.