Court Opinion

ID: 9665641
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 00:53:37.230218+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:17.272540
License: Public Domain

Garfield, C. J.
I am willing to concur in the holding the award of attorney fees was manifestly inadequate but would not allow more than $3000.
“Our review of the allowance of fees is not de novo. # * * The trial court has considerable discretion in fixing attorney fees although the exercise thereof must be reasonable, not arbitrary. Tilton v. Iowa Power and Light Co., supra, page 590 of 250 Iowa, and page 786 of 94 N.W.2d.” Nelson v. Iowa State Highway Comm., 253 Iowa 1248, 1256, 115 N.W.2d 695, 700 (1962).
In the Nelson case trial of a condemnation appeal resulted in an increase of $15,000 in the award. A trial judge of long experience allowed a fee of $2000 to two prominent firms of attorneys (not to each), opposed by two firms equally prominent in a trial lasting three days. We held the allowance of *155fees was within the reasonable discretion of the trial court. There was no dissent.
It is scarcely conceivable we would have held an award by the trial court here of considerably less than the $3600 allowed by the majority was an arbitrary exercise of discretion. Certainly the trial court knew considerably more about the case than we do.