All Nations Church of God

This case stems from a retaliatory discharge claim under the Tennessee Public Protection Act. The jury found for the plaintiff and awarded her $3,000.00 in compensatory damages and $12,500.00 in punitive damages. The trial court then awarded the plaintiff $12,500.00 of the over $100,000.00 in attorney's fees she requested. Following a remand from this Court, the trial court increased the attorney's fees award to $32,000.00. Discerning no abuse of discretion in the trial court's second attorney's fees award, we affirm. We also award the plaintiff her reasonable attorney's fees incurred in prosecuting the first appeal.

Former employee sued her former employer for retaliatory discharge under the Tennessee Public Protection Act, disability discrimination, and religious discrimination. Former employee voluntarily dismissed the religious discrimination claim prior to trial the jury returned a verdict in favor of the former employee on only the retaliatory discharge claim, awarding total damages of $15,500.00, inclusive of punitive damages. Former employee then sought an award of over $100,000.00 in attorney's fees under the applicable statutes, which the trial court reduced to $12,500.00, the same amount of punitive damages awarded by the jury. Former employee appeals only the attorney's fee award. We vacate the judgment of the trial court and remand for further proceedings.