425.308 Reasonable attorney fees.
(1) If the customer prevails in an action arising from a consumer transaction, the customer shall recover the aggregate amount of costs and expenses determined by the court to have been reasonably incurred on the customer's behalf in connection with the prosecution or defense of such action, together with a reasonable amount for attorney fees.
(2) The award of attorney fees shall be in an amount sufficient to compensate attorneys representing customers in actions arising from consumer transactions. In determining the amount of the fee, the court may consider:
(a) The time and labor required, the novelty and difficulty of the questions involved and the skill requisite properly to conduct the cause;
(b) The customary charges of the bar for similar services;
(c) The amount involved in the controversy and the benefits resulting to the client or clients from the services;
(d) The contingency or the certainty of the compensation;
(e) The character of the employment, whether casual or for an established and constant client; and
(f) The amount of the costs and expenses reasonably advanced by the attorney in the prosecution or defense of the action.
History: 1971 c. 239; 1991 a. 316; 1993 a. 490.
Attorney fees awarded under this section often far exceed the amount of recovery. First Wisconsin National Bank v. Nicolaou, 113 Wis. 2d 524, 335 N.W.2d 390 (1983).
Awards of attorney fees and costs are limited to instances in which a customer has shown that a creditor has not “fully complied with chs. 421 to 427." Suburban State Bank v. Squires, 145 Wis. 2d 445, 427 N.W.2d 393 (Ct. App. 1988).
A prevailing party is one who succeeds on any significant issue and is entitled to recover fees relating to successfully litigated issues. Footville State Bank v. Harvell, 146 Wis. 2d 524, 432 N.W.2d 122 (Ct. App. 1988).
Although voluntarily dismissed, prosecution of improperly venued actions violated the consumer act, and the defendants were prevailing parties under s. 425.308 entitled to attorney fees. Community Credit Plan, Inc. v. Johnson, 228 Wis. 2d 30, 596 N.W.2d 799 (1999), 97-0574.
A party moving for attorney's fees and costs under the Wisconsin Consumer Act (WCA) must show both a significant benefit in litigation and a violation of the WCA on the part of the non-moving party. When a claim for deficiency judgment was dismissed without costs and without prejudice, no violation of the WCA was shown. Credit Acceptance Corporation v. Woodard, 2012 WI App 43, 340 Wis. 2d 548, 812 N.W.2d 525, 11-0135.