Opinion ID: 1374307
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the postjudgment proceedings

Text: In post-acceptance state of the trial court's proceedings the mineral owners sought prejudgment interest, costs, and attorney's fees. The parties compromised on the attorney's fees and ordinary cost items to be taxed. Over the operator's objection the trial judge conducted a postjudgment evidentiary hearing to decide whether the mineral owners were entitled to interest under § 540(B) [23] and if so, to determine its amount. Proof of the mineral owners' auditing costs in the parallel equitable accounting was also adduced. The trial judge (a) awarded the mineral owners $56,578.00 in prejudgment interest at the rate of 12% as a penalty (computed by a plaintiffs'-pressed calculation formula) and (b) held he lacked statutory authority to assess accounting costs against the operator. This appeal challenges the prejudgment interest award and the correctness of a certain recitation in the journal entry. The mineral owners' counter-appeal assigns error in the trial court's denial of their audit-related costs.