Court Opinion

ID: 9628831
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 09:32:45.569205+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:14:18.083382
License: Public Domain

MR. JUSTICE SHEA
dissenting in part and concurring in part:
I concur in the result reached as to visitation and child support but not in all that is stated on these matters.
However, I dissent to this Court allowing an attorney’s fee of $250 as entered by the trial court, without proof of the value of the attorney’s fee. I do not question that the fee set by the trial court was a reasonable one, but if we are going to follow the recent case of First Security Bank of Bozeman v. Tholkes, 169 Mont. 422, 547 P.2d 1328 (decided March 30, 1976), then the district court should take evidence on the value of the attorney’s fee before determining the amount. This would be a relatively simple procedure.
A fee that is considered nominal to one party to a lawsuit could well be considered astronomical to the opposing party. That is precisely why there should be a hearing.