The Iowa Supreme Court will not hear an appeal of a Des Moines case involving millions in lawyer fees. Lawyers who won the case that said the city of Des Moines charged illegal franchise fees asked the Supreme Court to review a ruling by the Court of Appeals that limited their take in fees to 18 percent of the $40 million awarded in the case.
The appeals court ruled 2-1 in upholding a district court ruling that said the award in this case should be looked at differently because the city gets its funding from residents, the very people who are supposed to benefit from the settlement. Attorney Brad Schroeder told Radio Iowa when the appeal was filed, they went in with the agreement they would get 45 percent of the award, and says getting that 15 million would be justified because of the numerous appeals and time put in on the case.