SENATE BILL 475

44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

INTRODUCED BY

Rod Adair

AN ACT

RELATING TO CIVIL ACTIONS; PROVIDING FOR MANDATORY AWARD OF ATTORNEY FEES TO THE PREVAILING PARTY; PROVIDING EXCEPTIONS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. A new section of Chapter 39, Article 2 NMSA 1978 is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] MANDATORY AWARD OF ATTORNEY FEES IN CIVIL ACTIONS--EXCEPTIONS.--In a civil action in a district, magistrate, metropolitan or municipal court, attorney fees shall be awarded to the prevailing party, except in those cases when a specific provision of a statute provides otherwise."

.126961.1