425 N.E.2d 961 | Ohio Ct. App. | 1980
Lead Opinion
This is an appeal from a decision rendered by the Cleveland Heights Municipal Court, in which defendant-appellee, Peter Menczer, recovered damages and attorney's fees from his landlord, Betty Drake, the plaintiff-appellant.
The action was filed by appellant, requesting restitution of her property from appellee. Appellee answered, denying appellant's allegations, and counterclaimed, alleging that the action was retaliatory because appellee had complained about various housing violations. On April 10, 1978, the jury rendered a verdict in appellee's favor for $200. Subsequently, the court awarded appellee an additional $800 as reasonable attorney's fees.
Although the record on appeal contains no transcript of the trial proceedings, the parties have filed an Agreed Statement as the record on appeal under App. R. 9(D). That statement reveals that appellant timely objected to the jury charge because it did not contain an instruction "as to the granting of attorney's fees should the jury ultimately determine that the defendant-appellee was entitled to damages," and that this objection was overruled.
Appellant has assigned three errors for this court's review:
"I. The trial court erred in failing to charge the jury with respect to the law allowing it to consider the awarding of attorney's fees should it have found that the defendant-appellee was entitled to actual damages. *123
"II. The trial court erred in making an award of defendant's attorney's fees, on its own consideration, after having refused to submit such question to the jury.
"III. The trial court erred in overruling the plaintiff-appellant's motion for new trial."
Appellant argues these assignments of error together in her brief, and we therefore address them as a single assignment of error. Cf. App. R. 12(A). The sole issue presented for our review is whether, under R. C.
R. C.
The award of attorneys' fees serves two purposes. First, it acts as an additional sanction against a person who violates the more important provisions of the Act. Secondly, it serves as encouragement to the private bar to provide representation to tenants who normally could not afford to hire an attorney.2
In the present case, the limited question presented is whether the award of attorneys' fees under the above provisions is a determination for the jury or for the court. Appellant relies heavily upon Dyche Real Estate Fund v. Graves (1978),
"It is the intent of this section [R. C.
"This court has previously held, in the unreported case ofCoachlight Enterprises v. Donald Price, No. 77AP-570, decided December 1, 1977, a landlord-tenant case, the issue of attorney fees is one to be submitted to the jury, and the determination of such fees, within the context of this statute, is not a matter for the trial court's consideration." Id., at page 155.
We respectfully disagree with this conclusion, and therefore, with the holding of the Court of Appeals for Franklin County. First, the case of Coachlight Enterprises v. Price, supra (Fra. Co. Ct. of Appeals No. 77AP-570, December 1, 1977, unreported), simply assumed that the determination of attorneys' fees was an issue for the jury, but, offered no legal authority or other discussion to support this assumption. Secondly, we believe that the court's conclusion that the statute (R. C.
Traditionally, when a statute authorizes the award of attorneys' fees, it does so by allowing the fees to be taxed as costs. See, e.g., R. C.
We find a similar approach to be appropriate here. The statutory language regarding damages and fees provides for an award of "actual damages together with reasonable attorneys' fees" (emphasis added), R. C.
"(1) The time and labor required, the novelty and difficulty of the questions involved, and the skill requisite to perform the legal service properly.
"(2) The likelihood, if apparent to the client, that the acceptance of the particular employment will preclude other employment by the lawyer.
"(3) The fee customarily charged in the locality for similar legal services.
"(4) The amount involved and the results obtained.
"(5) The time limitations imposed by the client or by the circumstances.
"(6) The nature and length of the professional relationship with the client.
"(7) The experience, reputation, and ability of the lawyer or lawyers performing the services.
"(8) Whether the fee is fixed or contingent."
While a court may be quite familiar with the application of these considerations, a jury of lay persons would be unfamiliar with them; and, consequently, the submission to the jury of this question would consume significant additional time from both the attorneys and the court.4 It is difficult to imagine that the legislature intended to impose such a burden on the state's municipal courts.
We, therefore, conclude that the legislature intended that any attorney's fees awarded by a court under R. C.
Accordingly, the judgment of the Cleveland Heights Municipal Court is affirmed.
Judgment affirmed.
KRENZLER, P. J., and DAY, J., concur.
Concurrence Opinion
I concur in the judgment of affirmance and agree that attorneys' fees are determined by the trial court and not the jury. Further, a party seeking attorneys' fees has the burden of demonstrating the reasonable value of such services. Swanson v.Swanson (1976),
The time spent by an attorney and a reasonable rate to be charged for that time are important factors to be considered by the court. But fees may not always be awarded only on the basis of time and an hourly charge. The trial court may disagree with the attorney as to the amount of time reasonably required to perform the particular service. The court will give the evidence such weight as is warranted under all the facts and circumstances in a given case. The court's determination should be based upon the actual value of the necessary service. SeeHlavin v. W. E. Plechaty Co. (1971),