Bell, Metzner & Gierhart v. Stern

Attorney Walter Stern appeals from an order against him and in favor of the law firm Bell, Metzner & Gierhart for $4,850.82 attorney's fees and costs. The primary issues are whether the trial court had statutory authority to award attorney's fees and whether it abused its discretion in doing so. We conclude that the court intended to award fees under sec. 804.12(2), Stats., which authorizes a fee award for failing to comply with a discovery order, and the court did not abuse its discretion. We affirm.

The law firm represented Raymond Hamm in an action to obtain retirement disability benefits…