Opinion ID: 2603660
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: issues

Text: Appellant, Wyoming Workers' Compensation Division (Division), asks whether the district court: I.    lack[ed] statutory authority and jurisdiction to enter an order awarding attorney fees for representation of appellee before the Office of Administrative Hearings. II.    err[ed] as a matter of law in holding a hearing and taking additional evidence regarding attorney fees for representation of appellee before the Office of Administrative Hearings. III.    err[ed] as a matter of law by substituting its judgment on the amount of attorney's fees and costs [] reasonably incurred in the representation of appellee before the Office of Administrative Hearings. IV.    err[ed] as a matter of law by failing to follow W.S. 16-3-114(c) when entering its findings and order. Appellee, James L. Brown (Brown), asks whether the district court: 1.    lack[ed] authority and jurisdiction to change the order of the Office of Administrative Hearings regarding the award of attorney fees and costs for representation of appellee? 2.    err[ed] as a matter of law in holding a hearing and taking additional evidence regarding attorney fees for representation of appellee before the Office of Administrative Hearings? 3.    after holding a hearing and taking additional evidence, err[ed] as a matter of law by entering an order directing the Workers' Compensation Division to pay the amount of attorney fees and costs reasonably incurred in the representation of appellee before the Office of Administrative Hearings? 4.    err[ed] as a matter of law when omitting from its decision specific reference to one of the alternate legal conclusions set forth in section 16-3-114(c) of Wyoming's Administrative Procedure Act? We address these issues within the substantive context presented of the injured worker's right to competent counsel and the counsel's right to reasonably adequate compensation for legal services.