Carol

In this case we hold that where a marital dissolution judgment determining most issues has become final and provides that each party is to bear his or her own attorney fees and costs to date, but bifurcates for later determination an unadjudicated issue, the court as to the bifurcated issue, after the determination of that issue, may award attorney fees and costs rendered since the date of the prior judgment after due consideration of the income and needs of the parties.

Bruce Wolfe appeals from a postjudgment order requiring him to pay $14,000 in attorney fees incurred by his former wife, Carol Wolfe, in connection with a previous postjudgment proceeding. We affirm the order.

I.

A judgment dissolving the marital status of the parties was entered in May 1981, bifurcating and reserving for later determination the issues of property division, spousal and child support, custody and visitation, and attorney fees.

On October 1, 1982, following a nine-day trial, the court rendered a judgment dividing the community property and setting the amount of spousal and child support pursuant to the stipulation of the parties. The judgment provided that each party would bear his or…