2007 Legislation
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SENATE BILL NO. 1045 – Civil action, atty fees, excptn

SENATE BILL NO. 1045

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Bill Status



S1045................................................by JUDICIARY AND RULES
CIVIL ACTIONS - Amends existing law relating to attorney's fees in civil
actions to clarify exceptions to general application; and to revise
terminology.
                                                                        
01/23    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
01/24    Rpt prt - to Jud

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-ninth Legislature                   First Regular Session - 2007
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                       IN THE SENATE
                                                                        
                                    SENATE BILL NO. 1045
                                                                        
                              BY JUDICIARY AND RULES COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO ATTORNEY'S FEES IN CIVIL ACTIONS; AMENDING SECTION  12-120,  IDAHO
  3        CODE, TO CLARIFY EXCEPTIONS TO GENERAL APPLICATION AND TO REVISE TERMINOL-
  4        OGY.
                                                                        
  5    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  6        SECTION  1.  That  Section  12-120, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
  7    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
  8        12-120.  ATTORNEY'S FEES IN CIVIL ACTIONS. (1) Except as provided  in  for
  9    personal injury cases and those cases subject to the provisions of subsections
 10    (3) and (4) of this section, in any action where the amount pleaded is twenty-
 11    five  thousand  dollars ($25,000) or less, there shall be taxed and allowed to
 12    the prevailing party, as part of the costs of the action, a reasonable  amount
 13    to  be  fixed by the court as attorney's fees. For the plaintiff to be awarded
 14    attorney's fees, for the prosecution of the action,  written  demand  for  the
 15    payment  of  such claim must have been made on the defendant not less than ten
 16    (10) days before the commencement of the action; provided, that no  attorney's
 17    fees  shall  be allowed to the plaintiff if the court finds that the defendant
 18    tendered to the plaintiff, prior to the commencement of the action, an  amount
 19    at  least  equal  to  ninety-five  percent  (95%) of the amount awarded to the
 20    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 plaintiff, as part of the costs of
 38    the action, a reasonable amount to be fixed by the court as  attorney's  fees.
 39    For  the  plaintiff  to  be awarded attorney's fees for the prosecution of the
 40    action, written demand for payment of the claim and a statement of claim  must
 41    have 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 postjudgment attorney's fees and
 23    costs incurred in attempting to collect on the judgment. Such attorney's  fees
 24    and  costs  shall  be set by the court following the filing of a memorandum of
 25    attorney's fees and costs with notice to all parties and hearing.
 26        (6)  In any small claims case resulting in entry of a  money  judgment  or
 27    judgment for recovery of specific property, the party in whose favor the judg-
 28    ment  is  entered shall be entitled to reasonable postjudgment attorney's fees
 29    and costs incurred in attempting to collect on the judgment.  Such  attorney's
 30    fees  and costs shall be set by the court following the filing of a memorandum
 31    of attorney's fees and costs with notice to all parties and an opportunity for
 32    hearing. The amount of such attorney's fees shall be determined by  the  court
 33    after consideration of the factors set out in rule 54(e)(3) of the Idaho rules
 34    of  civil procedure, or any future rule that the supreme court of the state of
 35    Idaho may promulgate, but the court shall not base its determination  of  such
 36    fees  upon any contingent fees arrangement between attorney and client, or any
 37    arrangement setting such fees as a percentage of the judgment  or  the  amount
 38    recovered. In no event shall postjudgment attorney's fees exceed the principal
 39    amount of the judgment or value of property recovered.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                            RS 16634

The purpose of this legislation is to clarify who is entitled to
attorney's fees.  Until the Supreme Court decision found in
Gillihan v Gump it was generally understood that in civil actions
the prevailing party could recover attorney's fees and in
personal injury cases only the plaintiff was able to recover
attorney's fees.  The Supreme Court rendered a split decision in
Gillihan and opened the door for future court speculation as to
the legislative intent of Idaho Code  12-120.

This legislation will provide the means for the legislature to
reduce or eliminate future litigation and clarify legislative
intent.


                          FISCAL IMPACT

There is no negative fiscal impact to the general fund.




Contact
Name: Sen. Tim Corder 
Phone:332-1336  


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                        S 1045