Opinion ID: 874307
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Meyers Is Entitled to Fees on Appeal

Text: The court must always award attorney fees to the prevailing party in commercial transactions. I.C. § 12-120(3). The term `commercial transaction' is defined to mean all transactions except transactions for personal or household purposes. Id. Fees are required if the commercial transaction is integral to the claim, and constitutes the basis upon which the party is attempting to recover. Brower v. E.I. DuPont De Nemours & Co., 117 Idaho 780, 784, 792 P.2d 345, 349 (1990). Although Hansen characterized the investment as a personal loan to him, Meyers and her late husband invested nearly $300,000 in Ideal Consultants, what they believed was a legitimate attempt to build a revenue-generating program known as the Congressional Accountability Project. This was a fraudulent commercial transaction and Meyers is entitled to attorney fees under I.C. § 12-120(3) in recouping her losses. Cf. Blimka v. My Web Wholesaler, 143 Idaho 723, 728-29, 152 P.3d 594, 599-600 (2007) (permitting attorney fees on a goods-purchase fraud claim).