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§ ORCP 68. Allowance and taxation of attorney fees and costs and disbursements

Codes > Oregon Revised Statutes > Oregon Rules > ORCP 68.

ORCP 68. Allowance and taxation of attorney fees and costs and disbursements

A Definitions.As used in this rule:

A(1) Attorney fees.“Attorney fees” are the reasonable value of legal services related to the prosecution or defense of an action.

A(2) Costs and disbursements.“Costs and disbursements” are reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the prosecution or defense of an action other than for legal services, and include the fees of officers and witnesses; the expense of publication of summonses or notices, and the postage where the same are served by mail; any fee charged by the Department of Transportation for providing address information concerning a party served with summons pursuant to subparagraph D(4)(a)(i) of Rule 7; the compensation of referees; the expense of copying of any public record, book, or document admitted into evidence at trial; recordation of any document where recordation is required to give notice of the creation, modification or termination of an interest in real property; a reasonable sum paid a person for executing any bond, recognizance, undertaking, stipulation, or other obligation therein; and any other expense specifically allowed by agreement, by these rules, or by other rule or statute. The court, acting in its sole discretion, may allow as costs reasonable expenses incurred by a party for interpreter services. The expense of taking depositions shall not be allowed, even though the depositions are used at trial, except as otherwise provided by rule or statute.

B Allowance of costs and disbursements.In any action, costs and disbursements shall be allowed to the prevailing party, unless these rules or other rule or statute direct that in the particular case costs and disbursements shall not be allowed to the prevailing party or shall be allowed to some other party, or unless the court otherwise directs. If, under a special provision of these rules or any other rule or statute, a party has a right to recover costs, such party shall also have a right to recover disbursements.

C Award of and entry of judgment for attorney fees and costs and disbursements.

C(1) Application of this section to award of attorney fees.Notwithstanding Rule 1 A and the procedure provided in any rule or statute permitting recovery of attorney fees in a particular case, this section governs the pleading, proof and award of attorney fees in all cases, regardless of the source of the right to recovery of such fees, except when:

C(1)(a) Such items are claimed as damages arising prior to the action; or

C(1)(b) Such items are granted by order, rather than entered as part of a judgment.

C(2)(a) Alleging right to attorney fees.A party seeking attorney fees shall allege the facts, statute or rule that provides a basis for the award of such fees in a pleading filed by that party. Attorney fees may be sought before the substantive right to recover such fees accrues. No attorney fees shall be awarded unless a right to recover such fee is alleged as provided in this subsection.

C(2)(b) If a party does not file a pleading and seeks judgment or dismissal by motion, a right to attorney fees shall be alleged in such motion, in similar form to the allegations required in a pleading.

C(2)(c) A party shall not be required to allege a right to a specific amount of attorney fees. An allegation that a party is entitled to “reasonable attorney fees” is sufficient.

C(2)(d) Any allegation of a right to attorney fees in a pleading or motion shall be deemed denied and no responsive pleading shall be necessary. The opposing party may make a motion to strike the allegation or to make the allegation more definite and certain. Any objections to the form or specificity of allegation of the facts, statute or rule that provides a basis for the award of fees shall be waived if not alleged prior to trial or hearing.

C(3) Proof.The items of attorney fees and costs and disbursements shall be submitted in the manner provided by subsection (4) of this section, without proof being offered during the trial.

C(4) Procedure for seeking attorney fees or costs and disbursements.The procedure for seeking attorney fees or costs and disbursements shall be as follows:

C(4)(a) Filing and serving statement of attorney fees and costs and disbursements.A party seeking attorney fees or costs and disbursements shall, not later than 14 days after entry of judgment pursuant to Rule 67:

C(4)(a)(i) File with the court a signed and detailed statement of the amount of attorney fees or costs and disbursements, together with proof of service, if any, in accordance with Rule 9 C; and

C(4)(a)(ii) Serve, in accordance with Rule 9 B, a copy of the statement on all parties who are not in default for failure to appear.

C(4)(b) Objections.A party may object to a statement seeking attorney fees or costs and disbursements or any part thereof by written objections to the statement. The objections shall be served within 14 days after service on the objecting party of a copy of the statement. The objections shall be specific and may be founded in law or in fact and shall be deemed controverted without further pleading. Statements and objections may be amended in accordance with Rule 23.

C(4)(c) Hearing on objections.

C(4)(c)(i) If objections are filed in accordance with paragraph C(4)(b) of this rule, the court, without a jury, shall hear and determine all issues of law and fact raised by the statement of attorney fees or costs and disbursements and by the objections. The parties shall be given a reasonable opportunity to present affidavits, declarations and other evidence relevant to any factual issue, including any factors that ORS 20.075 or any other statute or rule requires or permits the court to consider in awarding or denying attorney fees or costs and disbursements.

C(4)(c)(ii) The court shall deny or award in whole or in part the amounts sought as attorney fees or costs and disbursements.

C(4)(d) No timely objections.If objections are not timely filed the court may award attorney fees or costs and disbursements sought in the statement.

C(4)(e) Findings and conclusions.On the request of a party, the court shall make special findings of fact and state its conclusions of law on the record regarding the issues material to the award or denial of attorney fees. A party shall make a request pursuant to this paragraph by including a request for findings and conclusions in the title of the statement of attorney fees or costs and disbursements or objections filed pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b) of this subsection. In the absence of a request under this paragraph, the court may make either general or special findings of fact and may state its conclusions of law regarding attorney fees.

C(5) Judgment concerning attorney fees or costs and disbursements.

C(5)(a) As part of judgment.If all issues regarding attorney fees or costs and disbursements are decided before entry of a judgment pursuant to Rule 67, the court shall include any award or denial of attorney fees or costs and disbursements in that judgment.

C(5)(b) By supplemental judgment; notice.If any issue regarding attorney fees or costs and disbursements is not decided before entry of a general judgment, any award or denial of attorney fees or costs and disbursements shall be made by supplemental judgment.

C(6) Avoidance of multiple collection of attorney fees and costs and disbursements.

C(6)(a) Separate judgments for separate claims.If more than one judgment is entered in an action, the court shall take such steps as necessary to avoid the multiple taxation of the same attorney fees and costs and disbursements in those judgments.

C(6)(b) Separate judgments for the same claim.If more than one judgment is entered for the same claim (when separate actions are brought for the same claim against several parties who might have been joined as parties in the same action, or when pursuant to Rule 67 B separate limited judgments are entered against several parties for the same claim), attorney fees and costs and disbursements may be entered in each judgment as provided in this rule, but satisfaction of one judgment bars recovery of attorney fees or costs and disbursements included in all other judgments.