(1) In any action for damages for breach of an express or implied warranty in a sale of consumer goods or services where the amount pleaded is $2,500 or less and the plaintiff prevails in the action, there shall be taxed and allowed to the plaintiff, at trial and on appeal, a reasonable amount to be fixed by the court as attorney fees for the prosecution of the action, and as part of the disbursements of the action, a reasonable amount to be fixed by the court as compensation of expert witnesses, if the court finds that written demand for the payment of such claim was made on the defendant not less than 30 days before commencement of the action and that the defendant was allowed within that 30 days reasonable opportunity to inspect any property pertaining to the claim; provided, that no attorney fees at trial and on appeal or compensation of expert witnesses shall be allowed to the plaintiff if the court finds that the defendant tendered to the plaintiff, prior to the commencement of the action, an amount not less than the damages awarded to the plaintiff.
(2) If the defendant prevails in an action in which the plaintiff requests attorney fees or compensation of expert witnesses under subsection (1) of this section, the court may in its discretion allow reasonable attorney fees at trial and on appeal or a reasonable amount as compensation of expert witnesses to the defendant if it finds the action to have been frivolous. [1971 c.744 §23; 1975 c.586 §1; 1981 c.897 §5; 1981 c.898 §21]
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