Coleman v. Coleman

OPINION

COMPTON, Justice.

I. INTRODUCTION

This appeal concerns attorney’s fees in a custody case. A Michigan court divorced the parents, but left the issue of custody to the Fairbanks superior court, which had jurisdiction over their children. That court held a custody trial, but, just before final arguments, the mother agreed to let the father have custody in return for stipulations about the children’s care. Neither party mentioned attorney’s fees in reporting this oral settlement to the court. Ten days later, the mother successfully moved the court to award her roughly half of her actual fees.