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<section article="get" article_name="Estates and Trusts" number="13-323.1" title_number="13" title_name="Protection of Minors, Disabled Persons, Susceptible Adults, and Older Adults" subtitle_number="3">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “reasonable and necessary expense” includes:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Suit money;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Counsel fees; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Costs.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>At any point in a proceeding under this subtitle, the court may order either party to pay to the other party an amount for the reasonable and necessary expense of prosecuting or defending the proceeding.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Before ordering the payment, the court shall consider:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The financial resources and financial needs of both parties; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Whether there was substantial justification for prosecuting or defending the proceeding.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>On a finding by the court that there was an absence of substantial justification of a party for prosecuting or defending the proceeding, the court may award to the other party the reasonable and necessary expense of prosecuting or defending the proceeding.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The court may award reimbursement for any reasonable and necessary expense that previously has been paid.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>As to any amount awarded for counsel fees, the court may:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Order that the amount awarded be paid directly to the lawyer; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Enter judgment in favor of the lawyer.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
