Court Opinion

ID: 9572312
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:40:42.83103+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:32:25.313646
License: Public Domain

HENDERSON, Justice
(concurring in part; dissenting in part).
Although I am in agreement with the merits of this case, believing that we have justly decided this appeal, both in settled law and in equity, there exists another matter which I feel compelled to address.
*366Donna Jones, formerly Donna Vander Woude, through her counsel of record, Mary Ann Galland, has filed a formal request for appellate attorney’s fees of $3,495.70. This includes attorney’s fees, sales tax, and costs and disbursements of $141.86. The affidavit in support of an award of attorney’s fees is itemized, per our decision in Malcolm v. Malcolm, 365 N.W.2d 863 (S.D.1985).
Considering the equities in this case and Donna Jones, formerly Donna Vander Woude, having prevailed in this appeal, I would award an appellate fee of $1,500 plus sales tax, costs, and disbursements expended herein by counsel on her behalf.
Mary Ann Galland, a licensed attorney in South Dakota, was actually the counsel for the prevailing party. The brief reflects “Galland Legal Clinic, P.C.,” so this is a professional corporation. It should be noted that this corporation is in Sioux Falls and, as Jones’ counsel, she drove from Sioux Falls to our state capítol at Pierre to argue this case. This would require at least one day’s professional time, including travel and argument before this Court. There was rather fevered advocacy before our Court and there were many legal points urged, in zeal, before this body which heightened the discernment of the legal issues which had been briefed.
It is noticed by this writer that a fee is charged, by the filed affidavit, for co-counsel Gary Conklin, a licensed practicing attorney, plus additional fees for a legal assistant, and a charge for secretarial work. It strikes me that an appellate fee of $3,495.70 is excessive because of the addition of a fee for co-counsel, a legal assistant, and secretarial services. I question highly that the legal assistant, as an example, who does not write a brief and who does not advocate before the Supreme Court, should receive appellate attorney’s fees. In my opinion, we cannot have a “doubling up” on attorney’s fees because lead counsel or the head of a professional corporation decides to have an additional attorney work on the case.
However, in fairness, I certainly believe that appellate attorney’s fees should be awarded, as I have expressed above for the professional services of Attorney Galland. One of the reasons, which I advance, justifying an appellate attorney’s fee award, is this: Accord and satisfaction to child support payments has never been precisely addressed by this Court; therefore, we have a “law-maker” before us. And I so vote, as reflected above.