Opinion
Case No. 3D99-3150
Opinion filed July 5, 2000. JANUARY TERM, A.D. 2000
An Appeal from the Circuit Court for Dade County, Thomas S. Wilson, Judge. LOWER TRIBUNAL NO. 98-27446
Before GODERICH, SHEVIN and SORONDO, JJ.
Rex B. Guthrie, for appellants.
Gunster, Yoakley, Valdes-Fauli Stewart and Virginia Herrero Pagliery and Julie E. Nevins; Mark Evans Kass, for appellee.
We find no merit in the substantive issues raised by Appellants. We do, however, agree with their position that the attorneys' fee award in this case is unreasonable.
The amount in controversy in this case, including interest, was $6,927.39. The attorneys' fee awarded was $6,216.48. In light of the fact that this foreclosure action was, for all practical purposes, unopposed, this award was excessive. At oral argument, counsel for Oceania Club, Inc. admitted that the substitution of counsel in the case may have resulted in duplicative billing. Accordingly, we reverse the award of attorneys' fees and remand with directions to conduct a new hearing during which the trial court will specifically consider this issue.
Reversed.