Opinion ID: 889778
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Whether the District Court abused its discretion when it declined to award attorney fees to Ethens.

Text: ¶ 57 The district court may award attorney fees at its discretion under § 27-8-313, MCA, when equitable considerations support the award. United Natl. Ins. Co. v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 2009 MT 269, ¶ 38, 352 Mont. 105, 214 P.3d 1260. The District Court identified no equitable considerations that would support an award of attorney fees to Ethens. Both parties genuinely believed that they owned the disputed property. Ethens had negotiated a $130,000 reduced purchase price for their property in light of potential attorney fees that could result from litigation to resolve the boundary dispute. The District Court did not abuse its discretion under these circumstances when it declined to award attorney fees to Ethens. Id. at ¶ 38. ¶ 58 Affirmed. We Concur: PATRICIA COTTER, MICHAEL E. WHEAT, BETH BAKER and JIM RICE, JJ.