Gene Fennelly v. Emma Norton

Summary

The court held that the attorney-fee statute does not authorize shifting a respondent parent's fees to grandparents or other third-party petitioners in a visitation proceeding. It also held that the trial court retained jurisdiction during the pending appeal to appoint counsel for the children, but abused its discretion by appointing counsel solely to address a legal fee dispute in which the children had only a tangential interest. The judgment was reversed and remanded with directions to deny the fee motion, vacate the appointment, and conduct further proceedings concerning compensation and any refund.