Court Opinion

ID: 9566815
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 19:43:35.101172+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:40:35.047271
License: Public Domain

LEVINE, Justice,
concurring and dissenting.
I concur in the rationale and result affirming the judgment below. I also concur in the rationale for awarding attorney fees on appeal. I dissent, however, from the amount awarded as well as from the general proposition that the trial court ordinarily determines the amount of attorney fees to be allowed for an appeal.
I understand that this Court has customarily followed the procedure of remanding to the trial court the determination of attorney fees on appeal. That custom should be abandoned.
The Wyoming Supreme Court is on the mark and its expression warrants our adherence:
“ ‘There is good reason for the supreme court rather than the district court to pass upon the need for ordering payment of an attorney’s fee in an appeal, and the supreme court is in a better position to say what, under the circumstances, is a reasonable and proper fee for legal service in that court.’ ... [T]o award appellate fees here avoids the circuitous action of sending the case back to the district court for a determination of a proper appellate fee, and then reviewing the fee awarded if that determination is appealed.” DeWitt v. Balben, 718 P.2d 854, 866 (Wyo.1986) (quoting in part Rubeling v. Rubeling, 406 P.2d 283, 285-286 (Wyo. 1965)).
We are simply in a better position than the trial court to determine the amount of reasonable attorney fees on appeal.
However, absent documentation of attorney fees, we should award a token amount only. Cf. United Bank of Bismarck v. Young, 401 N.W.2d 517, 519 n. 1 (N.D. *1161987). Carlson submitted no proof. One who requests attorney fees on appeal should provide sufficient documentation to justify the request. I do not agree that the Board’s failure to object by reply brief entitles Carlson to the amount requested. I suspect that had Carlson requested $15,-000.00 in attorney fees, the majority would have required some proof. I also suspect that the $1,500.00 awarded by the majority is viewed as a “token” amount. If so, it is too rich for my blood. I would award $500.00. I therefore respectfully dissent from the award of $1,500.00 attorney fees.