Court Opinion

ID: 9704057
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 00:20:31.03297+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:15:17.086887
License: Public Domain

STATON, Judge,
dissenting.
I dissent because the trial court’s award of attorney fees was proper. The attorney fees were awarded pursuant to the Statute of Gloucester, enacted by the English Parliament in 1278,1 and adopted in Indiana by *323the Common Law Reception Statute, first enacted by the General Assembly in 1818.2
The general rule is that attorney fees are not recoverable as a cost by the prevailing party, whether in law or equity, unless there is a statute authorizing such an award or an enforceable agreement or stipulation providing for such an award. Alyeska Pipe Line Service Co. v. Wilderness Society (1975), 421 U.S. 240, 247, 95 S.Ct. 1612, 1616, 44 L.Ed.2d 141; Fleischmann Distilling Corp. v. Maier Brewing Co. (1967), 386 U.S. 714, 717, 87 S.Ct. 1404, 1406, 18 L.Ed.2d 475. Indiana adheres to this general rule. Trotcky v. VanSickle (1949), 227 Ind. 441, 85 N.E.2d 638, 640. Equity allows limited exceptions to the general rule denying the award of attorney fees. Sprague v. Ticonic Nat’l Bank (1939), 307 U.S. 161, 166, 59 S.Ct. 777, 780, 83 L.Ed. 1184. These three equitable exceptions allow the award of attorney fees absent statutory authorization. They are 1) the “obdurate behavior” situation where the courts impose costs on defendants who behaved in bad faith; 2) the “common fund” situation; and 3) the “private attorney general” situation which has been abolished by the Alyeska Pipe Line case. Umbreit v. Chester B. Stem, Inc. (1978), Ind.App., 373 N.E.2d 1116, 1119.
Unlike equity, attorney fees were not awarded as costs at common law. Mattis, “Attorney’s Fees as Costs in Illinois: 1607 and All That,” (1979), S.Ill.U.L.J. 249, 252. Attorney fees could be recovered, however, in a judgment for damages when the trial court found either that the plaintiff had sued “pro falso clamore” or that the defend-
ant had acted “in misercordia.” Essentially, a losing plaintiff was subject to a fine for bringing a false claim and a losing defendant was subject to a fine for his unjust retention of the plaintiffs rights. Mattis, at 252.
In 1278, Parliament expanded the common law rule by passing the Statute of Gloucester which allowed the winning party to recover costs “in all Cases where the Party is to recover Damages.” 6 Edward I Cl. § 2 (1278); Goodhart, “Costs,” (1929), 38 Yale L.J. 849, 852. Sir Edward Coke explained that by 1607 the common law courts interpreted the statute broadly so that it “extendeth to all the legall costs of suit...,” including attorney fees. Sir Edward Coke, The Second Part of the Institutes of the Lawes of England, 288 (1642), Goodhart at 852 fn. 14; Fleischmann Distilling Corp. v. Maier Brewing Co., (1967), 386 U.S. 714, 717 fn. 7, 87 S.Ct. 1404, 1406, 18 L.Ed.2d 475. So, by 1607, prevailing litigants in damage actions at law were entitled to recover attorney fees as costs at the common law.
In 1818, the General Assembly passed the Common Law Reception Statute which adopted the English common law as it existed in 1607.3
The common law adopted in Indiana consists of the judicial common law and the Acts of Parliament prior to the fourth year of James I except where modified or abrogated by Indiana constitutional or statutory provisions. Sopher v. State (1907), 169 Ind. 177, 81 N.E. 913; Buchanan v. Hubbard *324(1889), 119 Ind. 187, 21 N.E. 538. Unless a statute exists to the contrary, the State of Indiana is governed by the common law of England as provided by the Reception Statute. Anderson Federation of Teachers v. School City of Anderson (1970), 252 Ind. 558, 254 N.E.2d 329, 330, cert. denied, 399 U.S. 928, 90 S.Ct. 2243, 26 L.Ed.2d 794. If statutory or constitutional repeal or modification is not shown, then the courts will apply the common law and statutes passed in aid of the common law. A statute will be held to abrogate the common law only when such an intention is declared expressly or by necessary implication. City of Indianapolis v. Indianapolis Water Company (1916), 185 Ind. 277, 113 N.E. 369, 372.
By enacting the Reception Statute, the General.Assembly clearly intended to enact the common law. A review of the statutory enactments of the General Assembly shows that no statute has been enacted to repeal or modify the common law rule allowing successful litigants to recover attorney fees as costs. I am bound to conclude, therefore, that the trial court acted properly by awarding attorney fees as costs.
Although the reliance on the Reception Statute presents a novel question of law, the language of the Reception Statute is clear and unambiguous. The Statute of Gloucester, as enforced in 1607, was adopted as the law of Indiana in 1818. Indeed, the General Assembly expressly refused to adopt a statute passed by the English Parliament in 1601 which partially repealed the Statute of Gloucester.4 When the General Assembly has made its intention clear and when the language of a statute is unambiguous, this Court may not construe the statute. Indiana State Highway Commission v. Indiana Civil Rights Commission (1981), Ind.App., 424 N.E.2d 1024, 1030 (trans. denied.) The power to enact and repeal statutes is vested in the General Assembly; we must act pursuant to its statutory mandate under the separation of powers doctrine.
The Majority considers it as “unfortunate” that prior Indiana cases have never considered the potential impact of the Statute of Gloucester. The Majority then deduces that these cases have impliedly rejected the Statute’s application. I believe a more logical deduction is that these prior Indiana cases were based on the mistaken assumption that there was no authority for the award of attorney fees as costs.
Although the Statute of Gloucester seems to have been overlooked in the courts, it nevertheless remains in full force and effect as positive, statutory law in Indiana. While it is clear that the General Assembly has not repealed the Statute of Gloucester either expressly or by implication, it is equally clear that the Statute has not lost its force as positive, statutory law through either disuse or nonenforcement. The civil law doctrine of desuetude, which provides that the nonuse or nonenforcement of a statute causes it to be repealed as positive law, never has been adopted in Indiana. Shutt v. State (1909), 173 Ind. 689, 89 N.E. 6; District of Columbia v. John R. Thompson Co. (1953), 346 U.S. 100, 113-15, 73 S.Ct. 1007, 1014-1015, 97 L.Ed. 1480; Rogers and Rogers, “Desuetude as a Defense,” 52 Iowa L.Rev. 1 (1966). The awarding of attorney fees as costs would not alter the rule in Indiana that attorney fees may not be recovered as costs in the absence of a statute or enforceable contractual provision or stipulation providing therefor. The Reception Statute has been the law in Indiana since 1807, and has been re-enacted in 1818, 1852, and 1976.
Assuming arguendo that the entire attorney fee award of $1,800.00 was not proper under the Statute of Gloucester, the Wells-es are still entitled to the $500.00 which the trial court awarded them as a sanction for Hosts’ failure to make discovery. The Majority does not address this issue.
The original judgment awarded the Wellses $1,800.00 in attorney fees “for necessary legal services furnished...” by their *325attorney. Hosts argued in its motion to correct errors that $1,800.00 was an excessive attorney fee award. In ruling on Hosts’ motion, the trial court allocated the $1,800.00 as $1,300.00 under the Statute of Gloucester and $500.00 as a sanction under Ind.Rules of Procedure, Trial Rule 37(B).
A judgment awarding attorney fees against a party failing to make discovery is proper if the trial court reasonably could have found that the recusant party had refused in bad faith to make discovery. Clark County State Bank v. Bennett (1975), 166 Ind.App. 471, 336 N.E.2d 663, 668. Bad faith means that there is a failure to comply with a duty imposed under the discovery order. Id. The purpose of TR. 37 is to facilitate discovery without the necessity of the trial court’s involvement. State v. Kuespert (1980), Ind.App., 411 N.E.2d 435, 437. A trial court may award costs and expenses when a party must go to the trouble of obtaining a trial court’s intervention to compel discovery. Id. A trial court exercises judicial discretion in ruling upon discovery matters, and this Court will interfere only upon a showing that the trial court abused its discretion. Justak v. Bo-chnowski (1979), Ind.App., 391 N.E.2d 872, 876, cert. denied, 449 U.S. 828, 101 S.Ct. 92, 66 L.Ed.2d 31.
A review of the record shows that Hosts failed to promptly plead its defenses against the Wellses and promptly make discovery. Therefore, the trial court’s judgment awarding attorney fees as a sanction for failure to make discovery is proper.

. 6 Edward I, c 1, § 1, 2 provided:
“Whereas heretofore Damages were not awarded in Assises of Novel disseisin, but only against the Disseisors: it is provided, That if the Disseisors do aliene the Lands, and have not whereof there may be Damages levied, that they to whose Hand such Tenements shall come, shall be charged with the Damages, so that every one shall answer for his Time. It is provided also, That the Dis-seisee shall recover Damages in a Writ of Entry, upon Novel desseisin against him that is found Tenant after the Disseisor. It is provided also, that where before this Time Damages were not awarded in a Plea of Mortdauncestor (but in case where the Land was recovered against the chief Lord) that from henceforth Damages shall be awarded in all Cases where a Man recovereth by As-sise of Mortdauncestor, as before is said in Assise of Novel disseisin: And likewise Damages shall be recovered in Writs of Cosinage, Aiel, and Besaiel.
“And whereas before Time Damages were not taxed, but to the Value of the issues of the Land; it is provided, That the Deman-dant may recover against the Tenant the Costs of his Writ purchased, together with the Damages abovesaid. And this Act shall hold Place in ail Cases where the Party is to recover Damages. And every Person from henceforth shall be compelled to render Damages, where the Land is recovered against him upon his own Intrusion, or his own Act.” (Emphasis added.)
*323Although the statute expressly contemplated only the real actions and possessory assizes, it was interpreted as applying to all actions for damages at Law. Mattis became obsolete in the 15th century with the rise of trespass and trespass on the case. See: Maitland Forms of Action at Common Law Cambridge, 1936.

. The Common Law Reception Statute has been codified at Indiana Code 1 — 1—2—1(4). Since 1807 the common law has been in force in this State by virtue of legislative enactment. Chicago & E.R. Co. v. Luddington (1910), 175 Ind. 35, 93 N.E. 273. Ind.Code 1-1-2-1(4) provides:
“The common law of England, and statutes of the British Parliament made in aid thereof prior to the fourth year of the reign of James the First (except the second section of the sixth chapter of forty-third Elizabeth, the eighth chapter of thirteenth Elizabeth, and the ninth chapter of thirty-seventh Henry the Eighth,) and which are of a general nature, not local to that kingdom, and not inconsistent with the first, second and third specifications of this section.” (Footnote omitted.)

. This Indiana statute is identical to the statute passed by the General Convention of the colony of Virginia in May 1776. The statute was re-enacted in the Indiana territory by an Act of September 7, 1807 before it was enacted by the General Assembly in 1818.

. Indiana Code l-l-2-l(4) expressly refused to adopt in Indiana 43 Elizabeth I C. 6 § 2 (1601) which repealed the Statute of Gloucester as to civil actions in which the winning party failed to recover more than forty shillings.