Court Opinion

ID: 9513911
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-06 22:42:14.572109+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:06:05.793903
License: Public Domain

KAPSNER, Justice,
concurring in part and dissenting in part.
[¶24] I join in the majority’s affir-mance of the district court’s judgment confirming the arbitrator’s award. I would also affirm the district court’s denial of attorney fees. Section 32-29.3-25(3), N.D.C.C., provides:
On application of a prevailing party to a contested judicial proceeding under section 32-29.3-22, 32-29.3-23, or 32-29.3-24, the court may add reasonable attorney’s fees and other reasonable expenses of litigation incurred in a judicial proceeding after the award is made to a judgment confirming, vacating without directing a rehearing, modifying, or correcting an award.
The award of attorney fees to a prevailing party is not mandatory, but discretionary, under this statute. In the cases cited by the majority, attorney fees were awarded in litigation, either for unexplained or inappropriate reasons, or the awards were measured by inappropriate standards. City of Medora v. Golberg, 1997 ND 190, ¶ 22, 569 N.W.2d 257; Farmland Mut. Ins. Co. v. Farmers Elevator, Inc., 404 N.W.2d 473, 479 (N.D.1987); City of Bismarck v. Thom, 261 N.W.2d 640, 647 (N.D.1977). Here, the court awarded no attorney fees. The matter was before the court only as the culmination of an arbitration proceeding. There are two significant differences. First, no award was made so there can be no explanation as to why an award was made or how the amount of the award was computed. Second, this is essentially an arbitration matter. It makes little sense to impose strict litigation standards only in the concluding phases when parties have used an alternative method as the primary means to resolve their dispute, especially when we review the arbitration award under the completely irrational standard of review.
[¶ 25]DALE V. SANDSTROM, J., agrees.