Attorneys :  Sanctions –  Bad Faith –  Child Custody Modification

Where attorneys in a modification of child custody case challenged the award of sanctions against them, the appellate court declines to address claims of error premised on matters beyond the scope of the mandate, and the judgment is affirmed because the trial court did not abuse its discretion in entering sanctions under its inherent authority, and the attorneys failed to show that their conduct was not rooted in bad faith.

Judgment is affirmed.

Davis v. Wieland (MLW No. 71753/Case No. WD81032 – 20 pages) (Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, Mitchell, J.) Appealed from circuit court, Clay County, Chamberlain, J. (Alan S. Mandel and Michael J. Sudekum, St. Louis, and Patrick M. Davis and Mandee Rowen Pingel, Kansas City, Missouri, for appellants) (Alexandra Hutchings, Liberty, for respondent).

Read the full text of this opinion. (PDF)