§ 25-1801 Claims of four thousand dollars or less; recovery; costs; interest; attorney's fees
25-1801. Claims of four thousand dollars or less; recovery; costs; interest; attorney's fees
Any person, partnership, limited liability company, association, or corporation in this state having a claim which amounts to four thousand dollars or less against any person, partnership, limited liability company, association, or corporation doing business in this state for (1) services rendered, (2) labor done, (3) material furnished, (4) overcharges made and collected, (5) lost or damaged personal property, (6) damage resulting from delay in transmission or transportation, (7) livestock killed or injured in transit, or (8) charges covering articles and service affecting the life and well-being of the debtor which are adjudged by the court to be necessaries of life may present the same to such person, partnership, limited liability company, association, or corporation, or to any agent thereof, for payment in any county where suit may be instituted for the collection of the same. If, at the expiration of ninety days after the presentation of such claim, the same has not been paid or satisfied, he, she, or it may institute suit thereon in the proper court. If payment is made to the plaintiff by or on behalf of the defendant after the filing of the suit but before judgment is taken, except as otherwise agreed in writing by the plaintiff, the plaintiff shall be entitled to receive the costs of suit whether by voluntary payment or judgment. If he, she, or it establishes the claim and secures judgment thereon, he, she, or it shall be entitled to recover the full amount of such judgment and all costs of suit thereon, and, in addition thereto, interest on the amount of the claim at the rate of six percent per annum from the date of presentation thereof, and, if he, she, or it has an attorney employed in the case, an amount for attorney's fees as provided in this section. If the cause is taken to an appellate court and plaintiff shall recover judgment thereon, the appellate court shall tax as costs in the action, to be paid to the plaintiff, an additional amount for attorney's fees in such appellate court as provided in this section, except that if the party in interest fails to recover a judgment in excess of the amount that may have been tendered by any person, partnership, limited liability company, association, or corporation liable under this section, then such party in interest shall not recover the attorney's fees provided by this section. Attorney's fees shall be ssessed by the court in a reasonable amount but shall in no event be less than ten dollars when the judgment is fifty dollars or less and when the judgment is over fifty dollars up to four thousand dollars the attorney's fee shall be ten dollars plus ten percent of the judgment inexcess of fifty dollars.