Opinion ID: 874267
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Cornwall Is Entitled to Attorney's Fees on Appeal

Text: Idaho Code § 12-121 permits an award for attorney's fees to the prevailing party if the appeal was brought, pursued, or defended frivolously. Farrell v. Whiteman, 146 Idaho 604, 613, 200 P.3d 1153, 1162 (2009). When an appeal simply disputes the trial court's factual findings, which are supported by substantial although conflicting evidence, the appeal is considered frivolous and an award of attorney fees is proper under I.C. § 12-121. Elec. Wholesale Supply Co. v. Nielson, 136 Idaho 814, 828, 41 P.3d 242, 256 (2001). In Teton Peaks Investment Co. v. Ohme , this Court recently upheld a summary judgment order finding a boundary by agreement on facts nearly identical to those in this case: a fence used for decades as a boundary, scant evidence disproving an agreement, and an indication in the record that both parties had already fully developed the relevant facts. 146 Idaho 394, 397-98, 195 P.3d 1207, 1210-11 (2008). This Court awarded attorney's fees on appeal, stating that the appellant had simply asked this Court to second guess the district court. Id. at 399, 195 P.3d at 1212. Similarly, the fence here existed for seventy years, there is no evidence as to its purpose, and the parties in this case have fully developed all the relevant facts. The district court correctly inferred a boundary by agreement from the evidence. Flying Elk's appeal essentially asked this Court to second-guess that conclusion and therefore was brought frivolously. Attorney fees are awarded to Cornwall.