Snider v. American Family Mutual Insurance Co.

298 F.3d 1120, 298 P.3d 1120, 297 Kan. 157, 2013 WL 1694786, 2013 Kan. LEXIS 433
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedApril 19, 2013
DocketNo. 103,340
StatusPublished
Cited by81 cases

This text of 298 F.3d 1120 (Snider v. American Family Mutual Insurance Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Snider v. American Family Mutual Insurance Co., 298 F.3d 1120, 298 P.3d 1120, 297 Kan. 157, 2013 WL 1694786, 2013 Kan. LEXIS 433 (kan 2013).

Opinions

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Luckert, J.:

In Evans v. Provident Life & Accident Ins. Co., 249 Kan. 248, 265, 815 P.2d 550 (1991), this court held that a party's request for civil appellate attorney fees is to be determined by the appellate court hearing the appeal. Supreme Court Rule 7.07(b) (2012 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 66) provides a procedure for making such a request and specifies the time period after the appellate oral argument in which the l'equest must be made.

In this case, Eugene Wayne Snider, d/b/a West Heating & Cooling, did not file a motion for appellate attorney fees in a successful appeal to the Court of Appeals that resulted in a remand to tire district court. Snider v. American Family Mut. Ins. Co., No. 101,202, 2009 WL 2902588, at *15 (Kan. App. 2009) (unpublished opinion) (Snider I). In the district court proceeding on remand, Snider requested and received attorney fees related to both the district court and the appellate proceedings based on the authority of K.S.A. 40-908, a prevailing party attorney fee statute. Considering an appeal from that order, the Court of Appeals reversed the award of appellate attorney fees, determining Snider had waived his right to appellate attorney fees by not filing a motion for attorney fees with the Court of Appeals in the prior appeal. Snider v. American Family Mut. Ins. Co., 45 Kan. App. 2d 196, 205-08, 244 P.3d 1281 (2011) (Snider II).

Now, on petition for review of that decision, Snider asks us to reverse the Court of Appeals and overrule Evans or exclude Evans’ holding from those cases where a fee applicant did not prevail in [160]*160the district court. This result would allow Snider to receive a judgment for the appellate attorney fees incurred in Snider I. In addition, Snider requests us to award him more fees for this current appeal—Snider II—than allowed by the Court of Appeals. We reject these requests and conclude that some aspects of Snider s arguments were not preserved; the Court of Appeals correctly applied Rule 7.07(b), Evans, and K.S.A. 40-908; and the Court of Appeals did not abuse its discretion in determining tire amount of reasonable attorney fees related to this current appeal. Consequently, we affirm the Court of Appeals.

Facts and Procedural History

Snider held an insurance policy through American Family Mutual Insurance Company (American Family) that included coverage for “contractor s equipment.” After air conditioning condensers, tools, and equipment were stolen from his residential storage facility, Snider filed a claim with American Family under the policy. American Family denied his claim, and Snider sued. The district court granted summary judgment for American Family; Snider appealed.

The Court of Appeals reversed the district court’s decision and remanded with directions for the district court to enter summary judgment in favor of Snider. The Court of Appeals also ordered the district court to determine the amount of attorney fees to be awarded to Snider under K.S.A. 40-908. Snider I, 2009 WL 2902588, at *15. After appellate oral arguments, Snider did not file a motion for appellate attorney fees under Rule 7.07(b).

On remand, the district court held a hearing on the issue of attorney fees. Snider’s attorney submitted an itemized list of attorney fees and expenses totaling $43,599.55. The district court awarded attorney fees to Snider in the amount of $5,000 and noted: “[Tjhis Court finds that Plaintiff s request is unreasonable on its face, especially requesting $22,000.00 to file and process an appeal.” Snider appealed the district court’s award of attorney fees.

The Court of Appeals held the district court abused its discretion in failing to award a fair and reasonable amount of attorney fees for services rendered at the district court level. After considering [161]*161the factors under Kansas Rules of Professional Conduct (KRPC) Rule 1.5(a) (2012 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 492), the Court of Appeals determined that Snider was entitled to receive $19,500 in attorney fees for his attorney’s representation in the district court plus $155 in costs. Snider II, 45 Kan. App. 2d at 211.

Additionally, the Court of Appeals determined tire district court “erroneously considered and included appellate attorney fees in its attorney fee award.” Snider II, 45 Kan. App. 2d at 203. The court found that Snider failed to comply with Rule 7.07(b) because he did not file a motion for attorney fees with the Court of Appeals and did not submit an “affidavit specifying the nature and extent of the services rendered, the time he spent on the appeal, and the factors considered in determining the reasonableness of the fee.” Snider II, 45 Kan. App. 2d at 205. The Court of Appeals also found the district court lacked the authority under K.S.A. 40-908 to grant attorney fees for appellate work. Snider II, 45 Kan. App. 2d at 206-07.

Snider timely filed a Rule 7.07(b) motion requesting appellate attorney fees for his second appeal, Snider II. The Court of Appeals entered a separate order awarding an additional $11,554.79 in appellate attorney fees and $754.79 for associated costs. We granted Snider’s petition for review in which he raises arguments pertaining only to appellate attorney fees for Snider I and Snider II.

Rule 7.07(b) and the Separation of Powers Doctrine

In his petition for review, Snider presents an argument he had not raised before the district court or the Court of Appeals: He argues Rule 7.07(b) is unconstitutional because it violates the separation of powers doctrine of the United States Constitution. According to Snider, Rule 7.07(b) adds requirements and language that unconstitutionally affect a party’s right under K.S.A. 40-908 to obtain attorney fees.

Generally, an issue cannot be raised for the first time in a petition seeking this court’s review of a Court of Appeals’ decision because an argument not made before the Couit of Appeals is deemed abandoned. State v. Ward, 292 Kan. 541, 580, 256 P.3d 801 (2011), cert. denied 132 S. Ct. 1594 (2012); Osterhaus v. Toth, 291 Kan. [162]*162759, 794, 249 P.3d 888 (2011). Snider had the opportunity to present this issue to the Snider II Court of Appeals when, in his reply brief, he rebutted American Family’s argument that he had abandoned or waived his request for appellate fees in Snider I by not filing a timely motion with the Court of Appeals as required by Evans and Rule 7.07(b).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
298 F.3d 1120, 298 P.3d 1120, 297 Kan. 157, 2013 WL 1694786, 2013 Kan. LEXIS 433, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/snider-v-american-family-mutual-insurance-co-kan-2013.