ÿWPCv … %V 0(\<„w@À4#UF+ 0Jq 0T» 0^ 0hm 0rÕ 0|G 0†Ã 0I 1uÙ 0dN U 6² B)è DC AMT U*¡ %Ë v~ð BnvÓ‹ D3^ 0@‘ AOÑÆ  0Dæ D/* BY ò($¡¡c:\wpwin60\template\brief.wpt ¤D¥¦D§¨I©ª«¬Ó€¶DÒ 3|x¶<Ú5 9Z ‹.Courier New Regular2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d7Border 1dd€- Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÝ  ÝÔ€"ÔÔ€"ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€"XÔÌÌDecember€4,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'h dStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  inion Geneva ÒÒ  inion Geneva Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€XÔÑ7€Oƒòòd°dÈ7ÑÑ  Ñ›Þ ÞÌCYNTHIA€ALBRIGHT,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.€Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà à)à à01A01„9607„CH„00333Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àChancery€Court€No.̜ـ€ÙÙ€€ÙßR€!# A1-j|­©` ç `€€@ÿRß›JOSEPH€L.€MERCER,€III,à àà à)à à23117Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellant.à à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÔ€¼ÔCOURT€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CHANCERY€COURT€FOR€WILLIAMSON€COUNTYÌÌAT€FRANKLIN,€TENNESSEEÌÌÌTHE€HONORABLE€HENRY€DENMARK€BELL,€JUDGEÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÔ€XÔKEITH€JORDAN,€ESQ.Ì227€Second€Avenue€NorthÌSuite€360„MÌNashville,€Tennessee€37201Ìà àATTORNEY€FOR€DEFENDANT/APPELLANTÌÌÌÌR.€E.€LEE€DAVIESÌHartzog,€Silva€&€DaviesÌ123€Fifth€Avenue€NorthÌP.O.€Box€664ÌFranklin,€Tennessee€37065„0664Ìà àATTORNEY€FOR€PLAINTIFF/APPELLEEÌÌÌ€ÌÌÌÔ€¼ÔÌà@ àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌÌÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGEÇÑ7€Oƒòòd°òòd°7Ñà@ àòòÔ€ ÔOpinionóóÔ€¼ÔÌÌÌÓÓÓ  ÓÔ€XÔà àThis€is€an€appeal€by€defendant/appellant,€Joseph€L.€Mercer,ÏIII,€from€a€decision€of€the€Chancery€Court€for€Williamson€CountyÏawarding€plaintiff/appellee,€Cynthia€Albright,€attorney's€fees€ofÏ$1,000.00.ÌÌà àThe€underlying€facts€of€this€cases€involve€a€rental€agreementÏbetween€Mercer€and€Albright.€€Pursuant€to€the€rental€contract,ÏMercer€agreed€to€rent€Albright's€trailer€for€$450.00€per€monthÏfrom€1€December€1993€until€31€March€1994€and€agreed€to€lease€theÏtrailer€on€a€month€to€month€basis€for€$500.00€per€month€after€31ÏMarch€1994.€€The€contract€also€provided€that€either€party€couldÏterminate€the€lease€upon€providing€thirty€days€written€noticeÏafter€28€February€1994.€€Finally,€the€contract€provided€thatÏMercer€would€pay€all€reasonable€attorney's€fees€incurred€byÏAlbright€if€Albright€instituted€litigation€for€breach€of€contract.€ÏIn€a€letter€dated€19€December€1994,€a€paralegal,€Tammy€Krasnoff,Ïinformed€Albright€that€Mercer€intended€to€vacate€the€trailer€on€31ÏDecember€1994.€€The€letter€also€claimed€that€the€clothes€dryerÏdestroyed€$750.00€worth€of€Mercer's€clothing€and€requestedÏAlbright€reimburse€Mercer€for€the€loss.ÌÌà àThe€parties€each€filed€separate€actions.€€In€January€1995,ÏMercer€filed€an€action€in€the€General€Sessions€Court€forÏWilliamson€County.€€Mercer€alleged€that€Albright's€failure€toÍmaintain€the€leased€premises€caused€damage€to€his€personalÏproperty.€€On€30€January€1995,€Albright€filed€a€complaint€in€theÏChancery€Court€for€Williamson€County.€€Albright€alleged€thatÏMercer€breached€the€contract€by€damaging€walls,€carpet,€doorstopsÏand€jams,€and€other€items.€€Albright€also€alleged€that€MercerÏfailed€to€give€her€thirty€days€written€notice€of€his€intention€toÏvacate€the€trailer.€€Mercer€answered€the€complaint€on€9€MarchÏ1995.€€He€denied€that€he€breached€the€contract€and€moved€the€courtÏto€dismiss€the€complaint.ÌÌà àUpon€Albright's€motion,€the€general€sessions€court€removedÏMercer's€case€to€the€circuit€court.€€On€30€May€1995,€Mercer€filedÏa€notice€of€jury€demand.€€Thereafter€upon€Albright's€motion,€theÏcircuit€court€transferred€Mercer's€case€to€the€chancery€court€andÏconsolidated€it€with€Albright's€case.€€In€November€1995,€MercerÏmade€an€offer€of€judgment.€€Mercer€agreed€to€pay€Albright€$750.00Ïin€damages€and€to€drop€all€claims€or€causes€of€action€againstÏAlbright.€€Albright€refused€the€offer,€and€the€parties€conductedÏlimited€discovery€including€the€filing€of€interrogatories€andÏrequests€for€admissions€and€for€the€production€of€documents.€ÏMercer€waived€his€demand€for€a€jury€trial€the€day€before€the€caseÏwas€set€to€be€heard.ÌÌà àOn€19€January€1996,€the€chancellor€entered€an€order€disposingÏof€the€parties€claims.€€As€to€the€property€damage,€the€chancellorÏheld€that€it€was€normal€wear€and€tear€and€denied€recovery€ofÍrepair€costs.€€The€court€found€that€Mercer€failed€to€provideÏthirty€days€notice€and€awarded€Albright€damages€of€$500.00Ïpursuant€to€the€contract.€€The€court€then€held€that€Mercer's€claimÏwas€without€merit.€€Finally,€the€court€awarded€Albright€attorney'sÏfees€and€agreed€to€set€the€amount€if€the€parties€could€not€reachÏan€agreement.€€On€5€January€1996,€Albright's€attorney€filed€anÏaffidavit€claiming€fees€of€$2,535.00.€€The€total€amount€includedÏ16.9€hours€of€professional€services€at€$150.00€per€hour.ÌÌà àThe€chancellor€heard€the€parties'€arguments€as€to€attorney'sÏfees.€€On€1€February€1996,€the€chancellor€entered€an€orderÏawarding€Albright€$1,000.00€in€attorney's€fees.€€Thereafter,ÏMercer€filed€a€notice€of€appeal€questioning€the€reasonableness€ofÏthe€award€of€attorney's€fees.ÌÌà àThe€Tennessee€Supreme€Court€addressed€a€similar€issue€inÏòòò òWilson€Management€Co.€v.€Star€Distribs.€Co.óóó ó,€745€S.W.2d€870Ï(Tenn.€1988).€€The€court€held:ÌÓÓà8 à[W]here€an€attorney's€fee€is€based€upon€a€contractualÏagreement€expressly€providing€for€a€reasonable€fee,€theÏaward€must€be€based€upon€the€guidelines€by€which€aÏreasonable€fee€is€determined.€€The€parties€are€entitledÏto€have€their€contract€enforced€according€to€its€expressÏterms.€€Where€they€specify€a€reasonable€fee€rather€thanÏa€percentage€of€recovery,€it€is€clear€that€they€expect€aÏcourt€to€adjudicate€the€issue€of€a€reasonable€fee,Ïunless€they€agree€upon€the€amount€after€a€controversyÏmatures.ÌÌÓÓòòò òWilsonóóó ó,€745€S.W.2d€at€873€(Fones,€J.)€(citations€omitted).€€Later,Ïthe€court€explained€the€holding€in€òòò òWilsonóóó ó€and€stated:€œ"This›€CourtÍheld€that€where€a€'reasonable'€fee€is€called€for,€the€award€òòmustóóÏbe€based€on€the€guidelines€by€which€a€reasonable€fee€isÏdetermined,€and€not€simply€a€percentage€of€œrecovery.›œ"›€Ïòòò òNutritional€Support€Servs.,€Ltd.€v.€Tayloróóó ó,€803€S.W.2d€213,Ï216€(Tenn.€1991)€(Fones,€J.).€€DR€2„106€contains€a€list€of€theÏguidelines€used€to€determine€whether€a€fee€is€reasonable.ÌÓÓà8 à€€(A)€€A€lawyer€shall€not€enter€into€an€agreement€for,Ïcharge,€or€collect€an€illegal€or€clearly€excessive€fee.Ìà8 à€€(B)€€A€fee€is€clearly€excessive€when,€after€a€reviewÏof€the€facts,€a€lawyer€of€ordinary€prudence€would€beÏleft€with€a€definite€and€firm€conviction€that€the€fee€isÏin€excess€of€a€reasonable€fee.€€Factors€to€be€consideredÏas€guides€in€determining€the€reasonableness€of€a€feeÏinclude€the€following:Ìà8 à(1)à àThe€time€and€labor€required,€the€novelty€andÏdifficulty€of€the€questions€involved,€and€the€skillÏrequired€to€perform€the€legal€service€properly.Ìà8 à(2)à àThe€likelihood,€if€apparent€to€the€client,€that€theÏacceptance€of€the€particular€employment€will€precludeÏother€employment€by€the€lawyer.Ìà8 à(3)à àThe€fee€customarily€charged€in€the€locality€forÏsimilar€legal€services.Ìà8 à(4)à àThe€amount€involved€and€the€results€obtained.Ìà8 à(5)à àThe€time€limitations€imposed€by€the€client€or€byÏthe€circumstances.Ìà8 à(6)à àThe€nature€and€length€of€the€professionalÏrelationship€with€the€client.Ìà8 à(7)à àThe€experience,€reputation,€and€ability€of€theÏlawyer€or€lawyers€performing€the€services.Ìà8 à(8)à àWhether€the€fee€is€fixed€or€contingent.ÌÌÓÓSup.€Ct.€Rules,€Rule€8,€Code€of€Prof.€Resp.,€DR€2„106(A)&(B)€(WestÏ1996);€òòò òsee€Connors€v.€Connorsó óóó,€594€S.W.2d€672,€676€(Tenn.Ï1980).ÌÌà àMercer€contends€that€the€fee€awarded€by€the€chancellor,€whileÏnot€clearly€excessive,€is€not€reasonable.€€During€the€proceedingsÏbefore€the€chancellor,€Albright's€attorney€filed€an€affidavitÍstating€that€he€performed€16.9€hours€of€legal€services€in€relationÏto€this€case.€€In€his€brief,€Albright's€attorney€submitted€thatÏapproximately€2.1€of€these€hours€were€spent€defending€Mercer'sÏclaim.€€The€contract€only€entitled€Albright€to€recover€fees€forÏclaims€instituted€by€her€for€breach€of€contract€or€for€unlawfulÏdetainer,€not€fees€for€defending€a€suit€instituted€by€the€lessee.€ÏThus,€the€trial€court€awarded€Albright€$1,000.00€for€14.8€hours€ofÏlegal€services€or€approximately€$68.00€per€hour.ÌÌà àIn€support€of€his€position,€Mercer€makes€numerous€arguments.€ÏFirst,€he€points€out€that€Albright€only€received€$500.00€and€thatÏthe€court€denied€the€majority€of€the€alleged€damages.€€ThisÏargument€pertains€to€the€fourth€factor€listed€in€DR€2„106(B).€ÏAlbright€hoped€to€recover€$1,350.00€for€the€damage€to€theÏproperty,€$500.00€for€Mercer's€failure€to€give€proper€notice,€andÏreasonable€attorney's€fees.€€Unfortunately€for€Albright,€the€courtÏonly€awarded€the€$500.00€for€Mercer's€failure€to€give€properÏnotice€and€$1,000.00€in€attorney's€fees.€€It€is€the€opinion€ofÏthis€court€that€the€trial€court's€award€of€approximately€$68.00Ïper€hour€is€reasonable€given€both€the€amount€involved€and€theÏresults€obtained.ÌÌà àMercer's€second€argument€is€that€the€fee€awarded€exceeds€theÏfee€commonly€charged€in€the€locality€for€such€actions.€€ThisÏargument€pertains€to€the€third€factor€listed€in€DR€2„106(B).€€InÏsupport€of€his€argument,€Mercer€relies€on€the€affidavit€of€anotherÍattorney€who€stated€that€the€appropriate€and€customary€fee€chargedÏin€the€locality€was€between€twenty€and€twenty„five€percent€of€theÏamount€collected.€€It€is€the€opinion€of€this€court€that€theÏaffidavit€was€not€relevant€to€the€issue€which€was€before€the€trialÏcourt.€€The€affidavit€speaks€of€a€reasonable€contingency€fee,€notÏof€a€reasonable€hourly€rate.€€Absent€the€affidavit,€there€is€noÏevidence€that€the€chancellor's€award€exceeded€the€fee€customarilyÏcharged€in€the€locality.€€We€will€not€disturb€the€chancellor'sÏfinding€on€appeal€absent€a€showing€of€an€abuse€of€discretion.€Ïòòò òThreadgill€v.€Threadgillóóó ó,€740€S.W.2d€419,€426€(Tenn.€App.Ï1987).ÌÌà àIn€addition,€Mercer€contends€that€the€action€was€a€simpleÏlandlord/tenant€dispute.€€This€argument€pertains€to€the€firstÏfactor€listed€in€DR€2„106(B).€€It€is€the€opinion€of€this€courtÏthat€this€argument€is€without€merit.€€It€is€not€unreasonable€forÏan€attorney€to€charge€at€least€$68.00€an€hour€in€even€the€simplestÏof€cases.ÌÌà àFinally,€Mercer€argues€that€this€court€should€consider€theÏfact€that€Mercer€made€an€offer€of€judgment€for€$750.00€early€inÏthe€case€and€that€Albright€only€recovered€$500.00.€€It€is€theÏopinion€of€this€court€that€evidence€of€the€offer€of€judgment€isÏnot€admissible€as€evidence€of€the€reasonableness€of€attorney'sÏfees.€€Mercer€made€the€offer€of€judgment€pursuant€to€Rule€68€ofÏthe€Tennessee€Rules€of€Civil€Procedure.€€This€rule€provides:€œ"An›Íoffer€not€accepted€shall€be€deemed€withdrawn€and€evidence€thereofÏis€not€admissible€except€in€a€proceeding€to€determine€œcosts.›œ"›€ÏTenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€68€(West€1996).€€The€term€œ"costs"›€as€used€in€thisÏrule€does€not€include€attorney's€fees.€€òòò òPerson€v.€Fletcheróóó ó,€582ÏS.W.2d€765,€766„67€(Tenn.€App.€1979).€€Thus,€evidence€of€the€offerÏof€judgment€is€inadmissible.ÌÌà àIt€is€the€opinion€of€this€court€that€the€attorney's€feesÏawarded€by€the€trial€court€were€reasonable.€€Moreover,€we€are€ofÏthe€opinion€that€the€rental€contract€entitles€Albright€to€an€awardÏof€attorney's€fees€on€appeal.€€Therefore,€it€follows€that€theÏdecision€of€the€chancery€court€is€affirmed.€€The€case€is€remandedÏto€the€chancery€court€for€a€determination€of€the€amount€ofÏAlbright's€attorney's€fees€on€appeal€and€for€any€further€necessaryÏproceedings.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€defendant/appellant,ÏJoseph€L.€Mercer.ÌÓÓÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à______________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGEÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌœ_______________________________›ÌHENRY€F.€TODD,€œPRESIDING€JUDGE,ÌMIDDLE€SECTIONÌÌÌÌÌ_______________________________ÌWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€JUDGE