Beaumont Court of Appeals finds creditor's fee proof insufficient to support summary judgment where its counsel's affidavit lacked specificity as to hours and hourly rates and Defendant -- himself an attorney and as such qualified to testify on the matter -- filed a counter-affidavit challenging the reasonableness of the amount of fees sought by American Express and the lack of substantiation.
ATTORNEYS FEES ON BREACH-OF-CONTRACT CLAIM VIA SUMMARY JUDGMENT
[ Credit card debt Defendant ] argues on appeal that the trial court erred in overruling his objections to Amex’s summary judgment proof "because said proof was conclusory." Specifically, [ Credit card debt Defendant ] argues the affidavit Amex submitted in support of its request for attorney’s fees is conclusory. [ Credit card debt Defendant ] argues that the affidavit is insufficient to support the award of fees because it "did not itemize the hours expended, or identify the attorney’s hourly rate."
[ Credit card debt Defendant ] further contends that the absence of an hourly rate and hours billed prevents the affidavit from being readily controvertible. Additionally [ Credit card debt Defendant ] contends that his own affidavit contradicted Amex’s affidavit in support of requested attorney’s fees.
Amex submitted the affidavit of its counsel of record in support of its request for attorney’s fees. Counsel averred that he was attorney of record for Amex in the underlying suit and that the statements set forth therein were based on his personal knowledge. Counsel further stated that he was familiar with the fees charged by attorneys for work of the type performed in this case and stated the following in support of Amex’s request for $2,100 in attorney’s fees:
Prior counsel and I have represented Plaintiff in its pursuit of collection [of] the indebtedness which is the subject of this cause. Prior counsel and I have reviewed the documentation provided by Plaintiff regarding the indebtedness, prepared pleadings, performed necessary and appropriate research, prepared appropriate discovery requests, and prepared a Motion for Summary Judgment and appropriate supporting affidavit(s).
All the work done in this cause has been necessary. It is my opinion that Plaintiff is entitled to recover its attorney fees in accordance with the terms of the Agreement and Texas law, in the sum of $2,100.00 in view of the work performed to date in order to collect the judgment.
In this affidavit filed with his response motion, [ Credit card debt Defendant ] stated:
. . I am a licensed attorney in the State of Texas. I am familiar with the usual and customary rates charged by attorneys in Texas. I have reviewed the attorney’s fee affidavit attached to Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment. The affidavit does not contain the hourly rate being charged by the attorney’s billing nor does it contain the number of hours billed. In addition, the affidavit does not discuss any of the Arthur Anderson factors. As such, the attorneys’ fees are not readily controverted.
In reviewing the facts supplied by Plaintiff to recover attorney’s fees, it is my opinion that the fees sought are unnecessary and not reasonable. The entire lawsuit could have been avoided had Plaintiff supplied the necessary information previously requested. It is my expert opinion that the attorney fees Plaintiff’s attorney claims are not necessary or reasonable.
The reasonableness of attorney’s fees is generally a question of fact. Smith v. Patrick W.Y. Tam Trust, 296 S.W.3d 545, 547 (Tex. 2009); Tesoro Petroleum Corp. v. Coastal Ref. & Mktg., Inc., 754 S.W.2d 764, 767 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1988, writ denied).
However, an attorney’s affidavit may be sufficient to conclusively establish the reasonableness of attorney’s fees for purposes of summary judgment. Basin Credit Consultants, Inc. v. Obregon, 2 S.W.3d 372, 373 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 1999, pet. denied). "[A]n affidavit filed by the movant’s attorney that sets forth his qualifications, his opinion regarding reasonable attorney’s fees, and the basis for his opinion will be sufficient to support summary judgment, if uncontroverted." In re Estate of Tyner, 292 S.W.3d 179, 184 (Tex. App.—Tyler 2009, no pet.) (citing Basin Credit Consultants, 2 S.W.3d at 373).
To establish that attorney’s fees are reasonable as a matter of law, uncontroverted testimony of an interested witness must (1) be capable of ready contradiction if untrue; (2) be clear, direct, and positive, and (3) be free of circumstances tending to discredit or impeach the testimony. Rosenblatt v. Freedom Life Ins. Co. of Am., 240 S.W.3d 315, 321 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2007, no pet.) (citing Ragsdale v. Progressive Voters League, 801 S.W.2d 880, 882 (Tex. 1990)).
We conclude the affidavit submitted by Amex fails to satisfy its summary judgment burden. See Tex. R. Civ. P. 166a(c). Though counsel for Amex states that allwork performed on the case was necessary, on its face, the affidavit filed by Amex does not state an opinion that the requested fees were reasonable or otherwise provide basic objective criteria to substantiate the amount of attorney’s fees requested. It is unclear from Amex’s supporting affidavit whether the requested fees were based on an hourly rate for the work performed or based on a percentage of the judgment. [ Credit card debt Defendant ] ’s affidavit challenges the sufficiency of Amex’s supporting affidavit and states his opinion that the requested fees are not reasonable. We note that an affidavit that merely criticizes the fees sought by the movant as unreasonable without setting forth the affiant’s qualifications or the basis of his opinion will not be sufficient to defeat conclusive summary judgment evidence of reasonable fees. See Basin Credit Consultants, 2 S.W.3d at 373. However, the evidence presented by Amex is not conclusive evidence of reasonable fees.
Additionally, while [ Credit card debt Defendant's ] affidavit appears conclusory, it controverts the evidence presented by Amex on attorney’s fees. Under these circumstances, we find the trial court erred in granting summary judgment on attorney’s fees. See Rosenblatt, 240 S.W.3d at 320-21; see also Gen. Elec. Supply Co. v. Gulf Electroquip, Inc., 857 S.W.2d 591, 601-02 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1993, writ denied) (holding summary judgment on attorney’s fees is improper when conflicting affidavits from opposing attorneys are presented).
We sustain issue three in part. We sever the issue of attorney’s fees from the judgment, reverse the award of attorney’s fees, and remand for further proceedings on attorney’s fees. We affirm the remainder of the trial court’s judgment. See id. at 602.
SOURCE: Beaumont Court of Appeals - 09-10-00166-CV - 7/14/11 (Summary judgment for American Express Centurion Bank in credit card debt suit affirmed except for award of attorney's fees)
RELATED LEGAL TERMS: reasonableness of attorney's fees, evidence of reasonableness of legal fees, proving up attorney's fees claim based on breach of contract, expert fee testimony, successful appeal of reasonableness of attorney's fees, sufficiency of evidence to support award of legal fees on breach of contract claim
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