WPCO vI,!(۔OћοQD'PzrZ8 HjED0xoIz^ACj *z̐>C~Q1Fԧbϙn^ENʵPe8rUY҄jΐ[/T&hsx<n)6דѢpcz7MmtpotlaDv4kہ7$ Sܷëp|A +V;Sb˲>EԦCsh9JʠZɭ[՗ fiJDvyg7'S[)|3OQ3*-h䰩; 2I"<>c[R<´qbom;WAI<^5xNc? ;>͛F_ΑrVG\X`gU Ӡi)~+u=i;Ќ 8@ lLLtb;b %\^ b 0nUNwD4H\ zk m #   _ %  N 0DXEBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBbDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD 0LLLL B77 0T D3 D-+ 0KXX AS 0 0D` A+ (`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman RegularyG*+003|x C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wptUHP LaserJet 40500 Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5 R0$      1    _Thetrialcourtmadeotherdecrees,noneofwhicharerelevanttotheissueuponwhichwedecidethiscase.(#$  0   N R0$      2    _WifehasfiledamotioninthisCourtaskingustoconsideraletterattachedtohermotionasapostjudgment  factpursuanttoTenn.R.App.P.14.Wedeclinetodoso.Theletterissignedbythetrialjudgeandaddressedto t counselfortheparties.ItisdatedApril4,2001,priortotheentrydateoftheorderfromwhichthisappealisbeing 8 taken.Hence,itdoesnotfallwithinRule14.- -(|G20$ !.8dd8         0   d(|3t$ !.8dd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3t$ !.8dd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8dd8     _  8_XXdd8  @ INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE  @WW$ATKNOXVILLE# #Ԉ &   October15,2001Session L X_X #XX_#ELLENHOPSONBELLv.WILLIAMHALLBELLX_X  J @@ AppealfromtheCircuitCourtforGreeneCounty  J @@No.00CV469JeanA.Stanley,Judge  6 FILEDDECEMBER19,2001__    @@*AV) ` dE<` A   @@TTNo.E200101348COAR3CV   AV) ` dE<|` A }     Inthisdivorcecase,thetrialcourtawardedEllen_Hopson_ԀBell( Wife)anabsolutedivorce,and x  orderedWilliamHallBell( Husband)topayonehalfofherattorney'sfees. #  1      ׀Husbandappeals, d arguingthatthetrialcourterredinawardingattorney'sfeeswithoutahearing.Wevacatethetrial P court'sgrantofattorney'sfeesandremandforfurtherproceedings. <  Tenn.R.App.P.3AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheCircuitCourt d Vacated;CaseRemanded  P   CharlesD.Susano,Jr.,#X_g#X_X.J.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichHoustonM.Goddard, ( P.J.,andHerschelP.Franks,J.,joined.  LawrenceA.Welch,Jr.,Greeneville,Tennessee,fortheappellant,WilliamH.Bell.  SandraLeeStanbery,Greeneville,Tennessee,fortheappellee,EllenHopsonBell. t  OPINION #XX_#X_X L  #XX_ #  X_X@&I.Facts $"t!   OnJune1,2000,WifefiledacomplaintseekingadivorcefromHusband.Inhercomplaint, #L# shesought,amongotherthings,reasonableattorney'sfees.OnFebruary23,2001,followinga $8 $ hearing,thetrialcourtgrantedWifeadivorcebasedonHusbandsinappropriatemaritalconduct. %$!% Astotheissueofattorney'sfees,therecordreflectsthefollowing: &"&   8 ` THECOURT:Allright,onattorneyfees,I'malittleambivalent (#( aboutthat,and,youknow,thereasonisthatif,indeed,[Wife]has )$) incurred$10,000.00inattorneyfeesandsheis,indeed,goingtohave p*%* topaythat,andthisissuppositiononmypart,andthen[Husband] \+&+ hasnotincurredthatmuchorisnotgoingtohavetopayforhis,that  reallyflipsalotofwhatI'vedonewiththefinancialstuff.Sowhat  I'mgoingtoaskyou,haveyouappliedforattorneyfees?You  haven't,haveyou?t` x` x   8 ` MR.WELCH:Wehaven'taskedtheCourtforthat,no,Ma'am.L ` x` x   8 ` THECOURT:Okay.Youalltalkaboutit.Ifyouwanttoaskfor $ t attorneyfees,within30daysIwantyoutofilejustaverybrief  ` Motion.TheMotioncanbejust, Westillwantourattorney_fees,_  L  andattachtoitastatementofthosefeesandthenI'llgiveMr.Welch  8  timetorespond.Ifyouallwantoralargument,youneedtotellmein $  yourMotionoryourresponse,otherwiseI'lllookatitandmakea   decisionontherecord.... ` x` x   OnMarch26,2001,Wifefiledamotionrenewingherrequestforattorney'sfees.Hermotion   specificallyrequestedoralargument.Thereafter,onMay4,2001,Husbandrespondedtothemotion p byfilingawrittenobjection.Hisresponselikewiseaskedforahearingontheissueoffees.Four \ dayslater,thetrialcourtenteredanorderawardingWifeattorney'sfeesbecause,asstatedinthe H order, [_p]laintiff_...hasrequestedattorneyfeesandfiledaMotionwithattachedstatementof 4 attorney'stimeexpendedonthiscase,allasrequiredbytheCourt.Defendanthasfailedtorespond  p inatimelymanner. #  2      ׀ThetrialcourtorderedHusbandtopayWife$5,000,onehalfofthefees  \ claimedbyher.Furthermore,onMay14,2001,thetrialcourtenteredasecondorder,inwhichit H deniedHusband'srequestforahearingandtaxedanyadditionalcoststoHusband. 4   Husbandappeals,challengingthetrialcourtsawardofattorney'sfeesandraisingthe   followingissuesforourreview:    8 ` 1.Didthetrialcourterrbyawarding punitivealimonyintheform  ofattorney'sfeestoWifewhohadsufficientresourcestopaysuch l feesfromherawardofseparateproperty?X ` x` x   8 ` 2.Didthetrialcourterrbyawardingattorney'sfeeswithoutadequate 0"  proofbeingpresentedtothetrialcourt?#l!` x` x   8 ` 3.Didthetrialcourterrbyawardingattorney'sfeeswithout $D # affordingHusbandahearingorreasonableopportunitytochallenge %0!$ Wife'sclaimforsuchfees?&"%` x` x ЇBecausewefindHusbandsthirdissuetobe_dispositive_,wedonotfinditnecessarytoaddresshis  firsttwoissues.  @TTII.StandardofReview t   Inadivorceaction,an awardofattorneyfeesbythetrialcourtisconsideredanawardof 8  alimony. Longv.Long ,957S.W.2d825,829(Tenn.Ct.App.1997).Aswithalimony,thetrial $ t courthasbroaddiscretionregardingthegrantofattorney'sfees, Batsonv.Batson ,769S.W.2d849,  ` 862(Tenn.Ct.App.1988),anditsdecisionwillnotbedisturbedabsentaclearshowingthatithas  L  abusedthatdiscretion. Aaronv.Aaron 909S.W.2d408,411(Tenn.1995).    8  @"III.Discussion     Husbandarguesthatthetrialcourterredwhenitawardedattorney'sfeeswithoutaffording   himanopportunitytocontestWifesclaimforfees.Hearguesthatheshouldhavebeengivena   reasonableopportunitytochallengeWifesclaimforfees,anopportunitytocrossexamineWife's p attorney,andanopportunitytopresentcontraryproof.Insupportofthisargument,Husbandrelies \ uponthecaseof Sherrodv.Wix ,849S.W.2d780(Tenn.Ct.App.1992),inwhichthisCourtheld H that [_t]rial_Ԁcourtsmayactuponrequestsforlegalexpenseswithoutafullydevelopedrecordaslong 4 asthepartyopposingtherequesthasbeenaffordedafairopportunitytocrossexaminethe  p requestingparties'witnessesandtopresentproofofitsownontheissue. Id. at785.Thedecision  \ in Sherrod isexpresslybased,inpart,upontheSupremeCourtsholdingin WilsonManagement H Co.v.StarDistributorsCo. ,745S.W.2d870(Tenn.1988),inwhichtheCourtheldthat 4   8 ` atrialjudgemayfixthefeesoflawyersincausespendingorwhich   havebeendeterminedbythecourt,withorwithoutexperttestimony  oflawyersandwithorwithoutaprimafacieshowingbyplaintiffsof  whatareasonablefeewouldbe.Obviously,theburdenofproofon  thequestionofwhatisareasonablefeeinanycaseisuponthe l plaintiffandplaintiffshouldbeinapositiontotendersuchproof. X  However,ifatrialjudgeispreparedtofixareasonablefeebased D! upontheappropriateguidelineswithoutfirsthearingplaintiff'sproof, 0"  defendantmustbeaccordedfullopportunitytocross[]examine #l! plaintiff'switnessandpresentevidenceonthatissue.$X"` x` x  Id. at873. %0!$   Inthecaseatbar,thetrialcourtinstructedWifetofileamotionseekingattorneysfeesifshe '#& wantedtopursueherpreviouslyfiledrequestforsuchrelief;shewasalsoinstructedtoindicatein (#' hermotionifshe _want[ed_]oralargumentontheissue.Moreover,thetrialcourtadvisedHusband )$( thathecouldrequestoralargumentinhisresponsetoWifesmotionforattorneysfees.Asaresult, |*%) Wifefiledamotionrequestingbothattorneysfeesandahearing.Inresponse,Husbandfileda h+&* writtenobjectiontoWifesmotionandhisownrequestforahearing.Despitethepartiesrequests  forahearingandthetrialcourtspriorassurancethatoralargumentwouldbegrantedpursuantto  therequestofeitherparty,thetrialcourtawardedWifeattorneysfeesintheamountof$5,000  withoutgivingeitherpartytheopportunitytopresentevidenceregardingwhetherandtowhatextent t suchanawardwasappropriate.Theonly proofbeforethecourtwhenitdecidedtoawardfees ` wasapartiallyredactedbillingstatement,preparedbyWifesattorney,thatwasattachedtoher L  motionforfees.HusbandwasnevergivenanopportunitytocrossexamineWife'switnesses,or_to_ 8  presentcontraryproof. $ t   Weholdthatthetrialcourtabuseditsdiscretioninthiscasewhenitawardedfeeswithout  L  givingHusbandanopportunitytocrossexamineWifeswitnessesandtopresenthisownevidence  8  ontheissueofwhetherandtowhatextentfeesarejustifiedinthiscase.See Wilson ,745S.W.2d $  at873; Sherrod ,849S.W.2dat785.Asaresult,wefinditnecessarytoremandthiscasefora   hearingtodetermine,basedonproperlysubmittedevidence,whether,andtowhatextent,anaward   ofattorneysfeesisappropriateinthiscase.Havingdeterminedthatahearingisnecessary,wefind   itunnecessarytoaddresstheotherissuesraisedbytheappellant.   @rr#IV.Conclusion \   Thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisherebyvacatedandthiscaseisremandedforfurther 4 proceedings.Costsonappealaretaxedagainsttheappellee,EllenHopsonBell.  p    `     h     _______________________________ 4    `     h     CHARLESD.SUSANO,JR.,JUDGE