Arndt v. Hosford

48 N.W. 981, 82 Iowa 499
Supreme Court of Iowa·Decided May 21, 1891·Published·Cited by 11 cases

Opinion

Robinson, J.

The plaintiff claims that he rendered services as an attorney for and at the request and for the benefit of Hattie Hosford, in two actions specified, and that such services were reasonably worth' the sum of four hundred dollars. Judgments were rendered in each action in favor of Mrs. Hosford, and a lien for the amount due the plaintiff was secured in the manner provided by section 215 of the Code. For the purpose of releasing such lien, the defendant, Hattie Hosford, as principal, and defendants, Reuben Newton and E. Puddy, as sureties, executed a bond, as provided by section 216 of the Code, which was duly approved by the proper clerk, and filed in his office. The plaintiff , demands judgment on the bond, and also generally for the amount claimed. The defendants deny that Mrs. Hosford is indebted to the plaintiff in any sum whatever, and allege that the services for which a recovery was sought were rendered for S. H. Cochrane; who had [501] been fuUy paid for them. The defendants, Newton and Paddy, further pleaded that they were induced to sign the bond in suit by virtue of an agreement made between the plaintiff and Mrs. Hosford, by which the plaintiff agreed that he would make no charges or claim against Mrs. Hosford in the cases specified, and, also, by reason of statements made to them by the plaintiff at various times during the progress of the trials, to the effect that the services he rendered in the cases were for the benefit of Cochrane, who was the attorney employed to take charge of them, and with whom he exchanged work. The jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, -and against Mrs. Hosford alone for fifty dollars. They also returned certain special findings. A motion for a new trial was ■ filed by the plaintiff, and overruled, the special findings were set aside, and judgment was rendered in favor of the plaintiff on the general verdict.

I. At the proper timé the plaintiff asked the court to instruct the jury as follows: “1. The incontrovertible -1. pmadino apractice: waiver of defects. nd evidence shows that, if any conversation ever occurred between the plaintiff Arndt and E. Puddy and R. Newton, concerning the question of Arndt’s appearing free of charge, it occurred before the filing of the plaintiff’s attorney’s liens. You are, therefore, instructed not to consider this evidence, as the same constitutes no defense to his action on the bond.

“2. The only questions for your determination are: Was the plaintiff employed to act as attorney for Mrs. Hosford in the proceedings referred to, and did he perform the services for her ? What were the services of plaintiff reasonably worth %

The court refused to give these instructions, and charged the jury, in effect, that, if the sureties were told by the plaintiff that he was not to receive any compensation for his services from Mrs. Hosford, and they executed the bond relying upon and in consequence of such statements, the plaintiff could not recover of. them; The appellant complains of this [502] action of the court, and insists that no estoppel was proven; that, when the bond was executed and filed, the sureties knew that he was claiming compensation, and that the bond was in terms executed for the purpose of releasing his lien. We think it is true that the facts proven do not constitute an estoppel, but the appellant is not in condition to take advantage of that fact. The proof corresponds with and sustains the separate answer of the sureties. That, taken with the averments of the petition, showed that the alleged agreement of the plaintiff with Mrs. Hosford, and his statements to the sureties, were made before notice of' the lien was given, and that the bond was given with knowledge of the claim now made by the plaintiff. The answer of the sureties was, therefore, demurrable. ' The plaintiff did not, however, demur, but waived the. defect in the pleading by going to trial on the issues, the answer presented. He did not file a motion in arrest of judgment, and it is now too late for him to urge the insufficiency of the pleading, or of the evidence which tends to prove its averments. Code, secs. 2648, 2650, 2664; Linden v. Green, 81 Iowa, 365, and cases therein cited. The rulings of the court, in regard to the instructions of which complaint is made, were correct, as applied to the pleadings and evidence in this case.

II. The sixth paragraph of the charge to the jury is as follows : “If you do not find from a preponderance a. instbtjction weiBbt'to be testimony!1* of the evidence herein that plaintiff was employed by Mrs. Hosford, then you should find for all of the defendants, as against plaintiff; but if you do find that he was employed by Hattie Hosford, then you come to determine from the evidence therein the amount which he should recover. You have before you, as -bearing on that question, the testimony of several practicing attorneys. You also have before you the facts as to what was done, by Mr. Arndt. You are not concluded by the statement of any or all of the attorneys ; that is, you are not bound to find the facts to be as they have testified, bat you [503] should, consider their evidence, and yon should also consider the evidence herein, and all of it, showing what plaintiff Arndt did for Mrs. Hosford, the time by him employed, and the value of his services in and about the suits, fees for which he now seeks to recover; and this you should do in the light of your own common knowledge, and from all the evidence before you. If you find plaintiff; should recover, award him that amount, and that only, which from the evidence herein is fair and reasonable compensation for the work actually performed by Arndt, and for which he seeks to recover.”

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Arndt v. Hosford, 48 N.W. 981, 82 Iowa 499 (iowa 1891).

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