The trial court in this divorce action failed – for the second time – to make the required findings on certain spousal support factors.

An attorney fee award in this divorce action must be vacated, the Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled, because the trial court did not make a finding as to whether the requested fee was reasonable.

Reasonable attorney fees shall be awarded where a party substantially prevails in obtaining everything that was initially sought in a FOIA action, and pro bono representation is not a factor.

A trial court abused its discretion when it held that a court-appointed lawyer’s appellate fees were excessive and unreasonable, the Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled.

A trial court abused its discretion by not articulating a reason for awarding only a portion of the attorney fees that appointed appellate counsel had requested.

The Court of Appeals reversed a trial court decision denying reasonable attorney fees because his application for leave to appeal was denied “for lack of merit in the grounds presented.”

The COA upheld a probate court’s order that approved as reasonable and necessary legal fees billed by a law firm that had been retained by a former trustee, even though the fees were partly due to the trustee's negligence.