Alaska Statutes
Alaska Stat. § 25.20.115 (2026)
Attorney fee awards in custody and visitation matters
✓ current as of July 2026
Find cases:
SyfertCases citing this section
AK-LEGakleg.gov
JustiaTitle on Justia
CornellLII Search
CasesGoogle Scholar
Sec. 25.20.115. Attorney fee awards in custody and visitation matters.
In an action to modify, vacate, or enforce that part of an order providing for custody of a child or visitation with a child, the court may, upon request of a party, award attorney fees and costs of the action. In awarding attorney fees and costs under this section, the court shall consider the relative financial resources of the parties and whether the parties have acted in good faith.
In an action to modify, vacate, or enforce that part of an order providing for custody of a child or visitation with a child, the court may, upon request of a party, award attorney fees and costs of the action. In awarding attorney fees and costs under this section, the court shall consider the relative financial resources of the parties and whether the parties have acted in good faith.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 29
cases (9 in the last 5 years), 1994–2026 · leading case: Mendel-Gleason v. Harris, 261 P.3d 397 (Alaska 2011).
Mendel-Gleason v. Harris, 261 P.3d 397 (Alaska 2011). “[3] An award of attorney's fees under AS 25.20.115 is subject to reversal only for *403 abuse of discretion or if the court's factual findings supporting the award are clearly erroneous.”
Smith v. Groleske, 196 P.3d 1102 (Alaska 2008). “140 1 and AS 25.20.115 2 *1104 after Kathleen caused him to miss a two-and-one-half-hour visitation with the children.”
Rowland v. Monsen, 135 P.3d 1036 (Alaska 2006). “INTRODUCTION After a protracted custody dispute, Roland Monsen successfully moved for an award of attorney’s fees against Bennita Rowland under AS 25.20.115. Rowland then sought to have the award set aside as void under Alaska Civil Rule 60(b)(4).”
Koller v. Reft, 71 P.3d 800 (Alaska 2003). “The first is in cases arising under AS 25.20.115, 46 which states that in “an action to modify, vacate, or enforce .”
Martin v. Martin, 303 P.3d 421 (Alaska 2013). “The court noted that AS 25.20.115 was controlling, 36 but after applying that statute decided the amount of fees would remain unchanged.”
McDonald v. Trihub, 173 P.3d 416 (Alaska 2007). “48 Curtis contends that Yvonne was not entitled to fees under Rule 82 or the divorce exception and that the court should have looked to AS 25.20.115, 49 which provides for attorney's fee awards in custody and visitation matters, and should have considered the "relative resources…”
S.L. v. J.H., 883 P.2d 984 (Alaska 1994). “then filed a motion for an award of full attorney’s fees pursuant to AS 25.20.115, arguing that S.L.’s motion to modify custody was not made in good faith.”
Morino v. Swayman, 970 P.2d 426 (Alaska 1999). “Swayman then moved for actual attorney's fees under AS 25.20.115. The court awarded her $1,370 in actual attorney's fees, finding that Morino's relative financial resources were clearly greater than Swayman's and that Morino's motion was "vexatious and not in good faith.”
B.J. v. J.D., 950 P.2d 113 (Alaska 1997). “acted in bad faith under AS 25.20.115, we conclude that the superior court’s denial of B.”
Fennelly v. Norton, 985 A.2d 1026 (Conn. 2010). “, Alaska Stat. § 25.20.115 (2008) (“[i]n an action to modify, vacate, or enforce that part of an order providing for custody of a child or visitation with a child, the court may, upon request of a party, award attorney fees and costs of the action”); Ariz.”
Houston v. Wolpert, 332 P.3d 1279 (Alaska 2014). “Under AS 25.20.115, the court must "consider the relative financial resources of the parties and whether the parties have acted in good faith" when making an attorney fee award.”
Rowen v. Rowen, 963 P.2d 249 (Alaska 1998). “” AS 25.20.115; see also S.L. v. J.H., 883 P.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.