MAYOR, COUNCILMEN, & CITIZENS ETC. v. Beard

In 1977, the City of Liberty passed an ordinance for the annexation of 5.4 square miles of land, and initiated a suit pursuant to § 71.015, RSMo 1978 (The Sawyers Act), for a declaratory judgment authorizing the annexation. Appellants were named in the City’s petition as a representative class of inhabitants in the area proposed for annexation; several employed present counsel. The trial court authorized the City to proceed with the annexation and denied appellants’ motion for allowance of attorneys’ fees. The Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, affirmed the judgment of an*331nexation,…