FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.179
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEPARKER.
0154H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsection536.085,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofonenewsectionrelatingtofees
andexpensesincivilactionsoragencyproceedings.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Section536.085,RSMo,isrepealedandonenewsectionenactedinlieu
2thereof,tobeknownassection536.085,toreadasfollows:
536.085.Asusedinsection536.087,thefollowingtermsmean:
2 (1)"Agencyproceeding",anadversaryproceedinginacontestedcasepursuanttothis
3chapterinwhichthestateisrepresentedbycounsel,butdoesnotincludeproceedingsfor
4determiningtheeligibilityorentitlementofanindividualtoamonetarybenefitorits
5equivalent,childcustodyproceedings,eminentdomainproceedings,driver'slicense
6proceedings,vehicleregistrationproceedings,proceedingstoestablishorfixarate,or
7proceedingsbeforethestatetaxcommission;
8 (2)"Party":
9 (a)Anindividualwhosenetworthdidnotexceedtwomilliondollarsatthetimethe
10civilactionoragencyproceedingwasinitiated;or
11 (b)Anyownerofanunincorporatedbusinessoranypartnership,corporation,
12association,unitoflocalgovernmentororganization,thenetworthofwhichdidnotexceed
13sevenmilliondollarsatthetimethecivilactionoragencyproceedingwasinitiated,and
14whichhadnotmorethanfivehundredemployeesatthetimethecivilactionoragency
15proceedingwasinitiated;
16 (3)"Prevails",obtainsafavorableorder,decision,judgment,ordismissalinacivil
17actionoragencyproceeding;
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 18 (4)"Reasonablefeesandexpenses"includesthereasonableexpensesofexpert
19witnesses,thereasonablecostofanystudy,analysis,engineeringreport,test,orprojectwhich
20isfoundbythecourtoragencytobenecessaryforthepreparationoftheparty'scase,and
21reasonableattorneyoragentfees.Theamountoffeesawardedasreasonablefeesand
22expensesshallbebaseduponprevailingmarketratesforthekindandqualityoftheservices
23furnished,exceptthatnoexpertwitnessshallbecompensatedatarateinexcessofthehighest
24rateofcompensationforexpertwitnessespaidbythestateinthetypeofcivilactionor
25agencyproceeding[, andattorneyfeesshallnotbeawardedinexcessofseventy-fivedollars
26perhourunlessthecourtdeterminesthataspecialfactor,suchasthelimitedavailabilityof
27qualifiedattorneysfortheproceedingsinvolved,justifiesahigherfee];
28 (5)"State",thestateofMissouri,itsofficersanditsagencies,butshallnotinclude
29politicalsubdivisionsofthestate.
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