]; Loman v. Paullin, 1915 OK 661, ΒΆ 0, 51 Okla. 294, 152 P. 73 [Stipulations are the equivalent of judicial admissions.]; Reeves Realty Co. v. Brown, 1915 OK 126, ΒΆ 4, 45 Okla. 737, 147 P. 318 [Parties by stipulations make the law for any legal proceedings to which they are parties, which not only bind them, but which the courts are bound to enforce.]. A trial court's attorney fee award is reviewed for an abuse of discretion. An abuse of discretion occurs when a decision is based on an erroneous conclusion of law or where there is no rational basis in evidence for the ruling.
Webster v. Webster, 216 Cal. 485, 14 P.2d 522. Our attention is invited to Coon v. Jones, Okla., 303 P.2d 425; to Huffman v. Gaylor, Okla., 267 P.2d 564; to Reeves Realty Co. v. Brown, 45 Okla. 737, 147 P. 318; and to our rule of practice for pretrial hearings, 12 O.S.A. Chap. 11, at page 539, supra, wherein we said: "(5) * * * and such (pre-trial) order when entered controls the subsequent course of the action, unless modified at the trial to prevent manifest injustice.
It is a well-settled proposition of law that litigants may stipulate concerning their respective rights involved in the case and are bound thereby where the agreements contained in the stipulation are not obtained through fraud, or not contrary to law or public policy, and that the courts will enforce the same. Reeves Realty Co. v. Brown, 45 Okla. 737, 147 P. 318, and cases cited therein. This question is discussed and the authorities extensively reviewed in the case of People ex rel. et al. v. Spring Lake Drainage and Levee Dist. et al., 253 Ill. 479, 97 N.E. 1042, 1047, in which the court said:
William H. Low Estate Co. v. Lederer Realty Corp. (1916, R.I.) 98 A. 180. The court acted on the stipulation and instructed the jury that a reasonable attorneys' fee had been agreed upon as being $75. Defendants are bound by the stipulation and are in no position to now complain. Reeves Realty Co. v. Brown (1915) 45 Okla. 737, 147 P. 318; 60 C. J. 50, sec. 23. 3. Defendants' third contention goes to the measure of damages with respect to recovery of actual damages.