Court Opinion

ID: 9531537
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:12:43.776773+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:30.442312
License: Public Domain

MATHIAS, Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part,
I concur fully with the majority’s opinion regarding the sufficiency of evidence, the prejudgment interest, and the foreclosure on the mechanic’s lien. However, I write separately as I must respectfully dissent in part from the majority’s conclusion that Indiana Code section 32-38-3-14(a) requires an award of attorney’s fees when the plaintiff recovers any judgment brought for the enforcement of a mechanic’s lien.
Because Indiana adheres to the “American Rule,” meaning that each party pays for his or her own attorney’s fees absent an agreement or statutory authority to the contrary, statutes that vary from this common law rule must be strictly construed. Vasquez v. Phillips, 843 N.E.2d 61, 64 (Ind.Ct.App.2006). “We presume that ‘the legislature did not intend by statute to make any change in the common law beyond what it declares either in express terms or by unmistakable implication.’ ” Courter v. Fugitt, 714 N.E.2d 1129, 1132 (Ind.Ct.App.1999) (quoting Chavis v. Patton, 683 N.E.2d 253, 258 (Ind.Ct.App.1997)).
Indiana Code section 32-38-3-14(a) presently reads “in an action to enforce a lien under this chapter, the plaintiff or lienholder may recover reasonable attorney’s fees as a part of the judgment.” (Emphasis added.) The word “may” cannot mean “shall” any more than “black” can mean “white,” despite Indiana Code section 32-16-1-5. We cannot expect Hoosiers to respect our laws if they cannot be understood to mean what they plainly say on their face. I therefore urge the General Assembly to correct or affirm this important change as soon as possible.
For these reasons, I would affirm the trial court’s exercise of discretion on the issue of attorney’s fees.