April 15, 2010

Court reviews trial court's grant of summary judgment and award of attorney's fees

BOBBY R. HOPKINS v. DOYLE K. RIGGS, ET AL. (Tenn. Ct. App. April 15, 2010)

Bobby R. Hopkins (Hopkins) sued Doyle K. Riggs and Ruth Riggs (the Riggs) alleging, in part, that the Riggs had contracted to construct a road on the Riggs' property for Hopkins' use and had failed to construct an adequate road. The Riggs filed a motion for summary judgment and the Trial Court granted them summary judgment. The Riggs then sought attorney's fees pursuant to the parties' contract. The parties then reached an agreement with regard to attorney's fees, an agreement which the Riggs subsequently alleged was breached by Hopkins. The Riggs then filed a motion and the Trial Court entered an order granting the Riggs additional attorney's fees.

Hopkins appeals to this Court raising issues regarding the grant of summary judgment and the award of attorney's fees. We affirm the grant of summary judgment, hold that the Riggs were entitled to an award of attorney's fees pursuant to the parties' contract, vacate the Trial Court's November 25, 2008 Order granting additional attorney's fees, and remand this case to the Trial Court for entry of an order that complies with the parties' August 6, 2008 agreement.

Opinion may be found at:
http://www.tba2.org/tba_files/TCA/2010/hopkinsb_041510.pdf