Opinion ID: 6331837
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Costs and Attorney Fees for Appeal

Text: Ms. Delaney asks us to tax DCW with her attorney fees and costs of this appeal. Rule 24(c) of the West Virginia Rules of Appellate Procedure provides: Costs of assembling and filing the appendix are taxable as costs in the discretion of the Court and may be divided among the parties to the appeal. Other taxable costs include costs for the preparation and handling of the designated record. Attorney’s fees and costs are not taxable unless specifically provided by law.[39] 38 Miller v. Monongahela Power Co., 184 W. Va. 663, 673, 403 S.E.2d 406, 416 (1991), overruled on other grounds by Mallet v. Pickens, 206 W. Va. 145, 522 S.E.2d 436 (1999). 39 W. Va. R. App. P. 24(c) (2010). 22 As discussed above, statutes and case law authorize awarding the attorney fees and costs for each of Ms. Delaney’s claims, and we choose to award them for this appeal. And given DCW’s pattern of misconduct throughout this case, we choose to tax DCW with the other taxable costs under Rule 24(c). On remand, we direct the circuit court to determine Ms. Delaney’s costs and fees for this appeal and order DCW to pay them.