Oklahoma Turnpike Authority v. Horn

1993 OK 123, 861 P.2d 304, 64 O.B.A.J. 2894, 1993 Okla. LEXIS 151, 1993 WL 389814
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedSeptember 29, 1993
Docket77162
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 1993 OK 123 (Oklahoma Turnpike Authority v. Horn) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Oklahoma Turnpike Authority v. Horn, 1993 OK 123, 861 P.2d 304, 64 O.B.A.J. 2894, 1993 Okla. LEXIS 151, 1993 WL 389814 (Okla. 1993).

Opinion

HODGES, Chief Justice.

Appellant, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA), appealed an order of the District Court of Delaware County which awarded certain fees and costs to the appellees, Donald R. Horn and Jolene Horn (Landowners). The order was part of a condemnation action brought against Landowners to acquire land for the Cherokee Turnpike. The court-appointed commissioners determined $15,500 to be just compensation for the sixteen-acre strip of land. Landowners demanded a jury trial, and the jury returned a verdict of $25,000.00.

Landowners filed an Application for Assessment of Litigation Expenses seeking reimbursement for attorney fees, engineering fees, expert witness fees, appraisal fees and litigation expenses in the amount of $44,190.00; OTA objected. Following an evidentiary hearing, the court assessed at *306 torney fees of $28,314.00, appraisal fees of $10,246.00, and engineering fees of $5,630.00. The assessment included $2,209.87 in litigation expenses and $50.00 for jury fee.

OTA appealed raising the following- errors: (1) The trial court erred in determining that attorney fees, engineering fees, appraisal fees and litigation expenses are assessable against the OTA in a condemnation action; (2) The trial court abused its discretion by allowing excessive attorney, appraisal and engineering fees; and (3) The award should be barred because the agreement to split the attorney fees between lawyers of different firms violates the Rules of Professional Conduct.

I.

As to assessment of attorney fees, engineering fees, appraisals fees, litigation expenses, and court costs in condemnation actions involving the OTA, the recent decision in Oklahoma Turnpike Authority v. New, 853 P.2d 765 (Okla.1993), is disposi-tive. In New, OTA appealed a ruling that assessed attorney fees, engineering fees, appraisal fees, litigation expenses and court costs against it. This Court held that OTA was subject to assessment of attorney, appraisal and engineering fees and court costs in condemnation proceedings pursuant to Okla.Stat. tit. 27 §§ 9, 11 (1991), when the jury award exceeded the court-appointed commissioners’ award by at least ten percent. However, this Court held that litigation costs were not recoverable as a separate item because they were part of the overhead of the provider.

Under New, Landowners in the present case can recover the requested fees. However, they cannot recover litigation expenses. The only remaining issues are (1) whether the attorney fees are reasonable, (2)whether the appraisal and engineering fees are reasonable, and (3) whether the fee-splitting agreement bars recovery of attorney fees.

II.

In determining whether attorney, appraisal and engineering fees are reasonable, Abel v. Tisdale, 619 P.2d 608 (Okla.1980), requires the Supreme Court to affirm the trial court’s decision unless the Court finds an abuse of discretion. To reverse on the grounds of abuse of discretion, “it must be found that the trial judge made a clearly erroneous conclusion and judgment, against reason and evidence.” Id. at 612.

In State ex rel. Burk v. Oklahoma City, 598 P.2d 659 (Okla.1979), this Court adopted the following criteria for determining the reasonableness of attorney fees:

1. Time and labor required.
2. Novelty and difficulty of the questions.
3. The skill requisite to perform the legal service.
4. The preclusion of other employment by the attorney due to acceptance of the case.
5. The customary fee.
6. Whether the fee is fixed or contingent.
7. Time limitations imposed by the client or the circumstance.
8. The amount involved and the results obtained.
9. The experience, reputation and ability of the attorneys.
10. The “undesirability” of the case.
11. The nature and length of the professional relationship with the client.
12. Award in similar cases.

Burk, 598 P.2d at 661, (quoting Evans v. Sheraton Park Hotel, 503 F.2d 177, 187 (1974)).

Landowners must offer evidence relating to these factors in order to establish reasonableness of the fees. Burk, 598 P.2d at 663. The facts and computations in support of the requested fees must also be set forth with specificity. Oliver’s Sports Center v. Nat’l Standard Ins., 615 P.2d 291, 295 (Okla.1982). Attorneys must submit to the court “detailed time records showing the work performed and offer evidence as to the reasonable value for the *307 services performed for different types of legal work.” Id.

The record shows that the Landowners have submitted evidence to support their position. Detailed time records which were verified by the attorneys were submitted into evidence. In the hearing on attorney fees, Landowners’ attorney, Mr. McGeady, testified that, although he was not experienced in condemnation work when he undertook the representation, he was able to educate himself with the help of his law partners who were experienced. McGeady had the necessary trial experience and the time required to proceed with this action.

Concerning novelty and difficulty of the case and the skill required to perform, Landowners’ attorneys testified that due to the unique nature of the taking by the OTA, there existed an argument at trial that the property had suffered no loss. There was also little evidence to show that Landowners had suffered a loss of business income due to the taking. The attorneys had to spend additional time to defend the Landowners’ position against these arguments.

In addition, the record indicates that by agreeing to prosecute this case several limitations were placed upon the Logan, Low-ry firm. The firm was precluded from taking other types of plaintiff litigation because of the demand placed upon the firm by the turnpike cases. Future limitations result from state agencies’, previous clients of the firm, lack of willingness to hire the firm in condemnation actions due to their reputation as landowners’ attorneys.

In regard to customary fee, Mr. McGeady testified that his fee of $125.00 an hour was the standard fee he charged all clients. The reputation and the experience of the attorneys in the Logan, Lowry firm was evidenced in the hearing. Mr. Logan was recognized as one of the most experienced condemnation lawyers in the area.

Landowners’ attorneys presented evidence of the value and quality of their services in respect to this case and in relation to other attorneys in the same area.

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Bluebook (online)
1993 OK 123, 861 P.2d 304, 64 O.B.A.J. 2894, 1993 Okla. LEXIS 151, 1993 WL 389814, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/oklahoma-turnpike-authority-v-horn-okla-1993.