2001 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 184 – Postjudgment,atty fees/costs, when

HOUSE BILL NO. 184

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Daily Data Tracking History



H0184................................by JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION
POSTJUDGMENT - Amends existing law to provide for postjudgment attorney's
fees and costs incurred in collecting on judgments entered in certain small
claims cases.
                                                                        
02/08    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/09    Rpt prt - to Jud
03/02    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/05    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/06    3rd rdg - PASSED - 59-1-10
      AYES -- Barraclough, Bedke, Bell, Bieter, Black, Boe, Bolz, Bradford,
      Bruneel, Campbell, Chase, Clark, Collins, Cuddy, Denney, Ellis,
      Ellsworth, Eskridge, Field(13), Gagner, Gould, Hadley, Hammond,
      Harwood, Henbest, Higgins, Hornbeck, Jaquet, Jones, Kellogg, Kendell,
      Lake, Loertscher, Mader, Marley, McKague, Meyer, Montgomery,
      Mortensen, Moss, Moyle, Pearce, Pischner, Pomeroy, Ridinger, Roberts,
      Robison, Sali, Schaefer, Sellman, Shepherd, Smith, Smylie, Stone,
      Swan, Tilman, Trail, Wheeler, Young
      NAYS -- Barrett
      Absent and excused -- Callister, Crow, Deal, Field(20), Kunz,
      Langford, Raybould, Stevenson, Wood, Mr. Speaker
    Floor Sponsor -- Bieter
    Title apvd - to Senate
03/07    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to Jud
03/13    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/14    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/20    3rd rdg - PASSED - 35-0-0
      AYES -- Andreason, Branch, Boatright, Brandt, Bunderson, Burtenshaw,
      Cameron, Danielson, Darrington, Davis, Deide, Dunklin, Frasure,
      Geddes, Goedde, Hawkins, Ingram, Ipsen, Keough, King-Barrutia, Lee,
      Lodge, Noh, Richardson, Risch, Sandy, Schroeder, Sims, Sorensen,
      Stegner, Stennett, Thorne, Wheeler, Whitworth, Williams,
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- None
    Floor Sponsor -- Lodge
    Title apvd - to House
03/21    To enrol
03/22    Rpt enrol - Sp signed - Pres signed - to Gov
03/23    Governor signed
         Session Law Chapter 161
         Effective: 07/01/01

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-sixth Legislature                  First Regular Session - 2001
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 184
                                                                        
                      BY JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO ATTORNEY'S FEES IN CIVIL ACTIONS; AMENDING SECTION  12-120,  IDAHO
  3        CODE,  TO  PROVIDE  FOR POSTJUDGMENT ATTORNEY'S FEES AND COSTS INCURRED IN
  4        COLLECTING ON JUDGMENTS ENTERED IN CERTAIN SMALL CLAIMS CASES AND TO  MAKE
  5        TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.
                                                                        
  6    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  7        SECTION  1.  That  Section  12-120, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
  8    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
  9        12-120.  ATTORNEY'S FEES IN CIVIL ACTIONS. (1) Except as provided in  sub-
 10    sections  (3)  and (4) of this section, in any action where the amount pleaded
 11    is twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less, there shall  be  taxed  and
 12    allowed to the prevailing party, as part of the costs of the action, a reason-
 13    able  amount to be fixed by the court as attorney's fees. For the plaintiff to
 14    be awarded attorney's fees, for the prosecution of the action, written  demand
 15    for  the  payment  of such claim must have been made on the defendant not less
 16    than ten (10) days before the commencement of the action;  provided,  that  no
 17    attorney's  fees shall be allowed to the plaintiff if the court finds that the
 18    defendant tendered to the plaintiff, prior to the commencement of the  action,
 19    an amount at least equal to ninety-five percent (95%) of the amount awarded to
 20    the plaintiff.
 21        (2)  The  provisions of subsection (1) of this section shall also apply to
 22    any counterclaims, cross-claims or third party claims which may be filed after
 23    the initiation of the original action. Except that  a  ten  (10)  day  written
 24    demand letter shall not be required in the case of a counterclaim.
 25        (3)  In  any  civil  action to recover on an open account, account stated,
 26    note, bill, negotiable instrument, guaranty, or contract relating to the  pur-
 27    chase  or sale of goods, wares, merchandise, or services and in any commercial
 28    transaction unless otherwise provided by law, the prevailing  party  shall  be
 29    allowed  a  reasonable  attorney's fee to be set by the court, to be taxed and
 30    collected as costs.
 31        The term "commercial transaction" is  defined  to  mean  all  transactions
 32    except  transactions  for  personal or household purposes. The term "party" is
 33    defined to mean any person,  partnership,  corporation,  association,  private
 34    organization, the state of Idaho or political subdivision thereof.
 35        (4)  In actions for personal injury, where the amount of plaintiff's claim
 36    for  damages  does  not  exceed  twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), there
 37    shall be taxed and allowed to the claimant,  as  part  of  the  costs  of  the
 38    action,  a  reasonable amount to be fixed by the court as attorney's fees. For
 39    the plaintiff to be awarded attorney's fees for the prosecution of the action,
 40    written demand for payment of the claim and a statement  of  claim  must  have
 41    been  served  on  the  defendant's  insurer, if known, or if there is no known
 42    insurer, then on the defendant, not less than sixty (60) days before the  com-
 43    mencement  of the action; provided that no attorney's fees shall be allowed to
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1    the plaintiff if the court finds that the defendant tendered to the plaintiff,
  2    prior to the commencement of the action, an amount at least  equal  to  ninety
  3    percent (90%) of the amount awarded to the plaintiff.
  4        The term "statement of claim" shall mean a written statement signed by the
  5    plaintiff's attorney, or if no attorney, by the plaintiff which includes:
  6        (a)  An itemized statement of each and every item of damage claimed by the
  7        plaintiff including the amount claimed for general damages and the follow-
  8        ing items of special damages: (i) medical bills incurred up to the date of
  9        the  plaintiff's  demand;  (ii)  a  good  faith estimate of future medical
 10        bills; (iii) lost income incurred  up  to  the  date  of  the  plaintiff's
 11        demand; (iv) a good faith estimate of future loss of income; and (v) prop-
 12        erty damage for which the plaintiff has not been paid.
 13        (b)  Legible  copies of all medical records, bills and other documentation
 14        pertinent to the plaintiff's alleged damages.
 15        If the plaintiff includes in the complaint filed to commence  the  action,
 16    or  in  evidence offered at trial, a different alleged injury or a significant
 17    new item of damage not set forth in the  statement  of  claim,  the  plaintiff
 18    shall  be  deemed to have waived any entitlement to attorney's fees under this
 19    section.
 20        (5)  In all instances where a party is entitled to  reasonable  attorney's
 21    fees  and  costs  under  subsection (1), (2), (3) or (4) of this section, such
 22    party  shall  also  be  entitled  to  reasonable  post-judgment   postjudgment
 23    attorney's  fees  and costs incurred in attempting to collect on the judgment.
 24    Such attorney's fees and costs shall be set by the court following the  filing
 25    of  a  memorandum  of attorney's fees and costs with notice to all parties and
 26    hearing.
 27        (6)  In any small claims case resulting in entry of a  money  judgment  or
 28    judgment for recovery of specific property, the party in whose favor the judg-
 29    ment  is  entered shall be entitled to reasonable postjudgment attorney's fees
 30    and costs incurred in attempting to collect on the judgment.  Such  attorney's
 31    fees  and costs shall be set by the court following the filing of a memorandum
 32    of attorney's fees and costs with notice to all parties and an opportunity for
 33    hearing. The amount of such attorney's fees shall be determined by  the  court
 34    after consideration of the factors set out in rule 54(e)(3) of the Idaho rules
 35    of  civil procedure, or any future rule that the supreme court of the state of
 36    Idaho may promulgate, but the court shall not base its determination  of  such
 37    fees  upon any contingent fees arrangement between attorney and client, or any
 38    arrangement setting such fees as a percentage of the judgment  or  the  amount
 39    recovered. In no event shall postjudgment attorney's fees exceed the principal
 40    amount of the judgment or value of property recovered.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


 . . . . . . . . . . .STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                           RS10834
                               
This bill amends section 12-120, Idaho Code, relating to
attorneys fees in civil actions, to authorize the award of post
judgment attorneys fees and costs incurred in the collection of small
claims judgments.

Section 12-120 (5), Idaho Code, encourages some merchants to
avoid the small claims court because they are able to get post-
judgment attorney fees in the magistrates division of the district
court if the case is filed at that level.

A Supreme Court committee appointed to review small claims
court procedures believes small claims court judgment creditors
should be afforded the same opportunity, and given an economically
feasible way to enlist professional help to collect their judgment
without having the award dissipated by attorney fee costs.

This bill establishes a procedure whereby this may be
accomplished, and places small claims judgments on an equal footing
with judgments issued by other courts.



                         FISCAL NOTE
                               
No fiscal impact to state or local funds is anticipated.












Contact Person:
Representative David Bieter
(208) 332-1000






Statement of Purpose/Fiscal Note             H 18