Doe v. Green

2 Paige Ch. 347, 1831 N.Y. LEXIS 355, 1831 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 72
CourtNew York Court of Chancery
DecidedMarch 1, 1831
StatusPublished

This text of 2 Paige Ch. 347 (Doe v. Green) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Court of Chancery primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Doe v. Green, 2 Paige Ch. 347, 1831 N.Y. LEXIS 355, 1831 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 72 (N.Y. 1831).

Opinion

The Chancellor.

• As almost every item in this bill of ' costs was objected to, either "on the ground that the' service had hot been performed or was unnecessary, of that the" folios were overcharged, it may be necessary to examine the items objected to in detail.' . .

The first objection relates to the charge for a retaining fee for counsel, and for counsel perusing and signing thé bill', decree, &c. It appeared by 'the affidavit of Doe, which was produced before, the taxing, officer, that counsel, .other than the solicitor in the cause, was actually employed. And'.the name of such counsel was subscribed to the bill, and to such of the- subsequent proceedings as by the practice of the court [349]*349required the signature of counsel. It would be a misdemeanor for any solicitor to put the name of a counsellor to a bill or other pleading without his knowledge and consent. And in Whitlock v. Marriot, (2 Rep. in Ch. 386,) the solicitor for a defendant was ordered to pay £20 costs, for putting the name of counsel to an answer without his consent; and to be committed to the fleet until the same was paid. The fact, therefore, that the pleading is signed with the name of such counsel, is at least prima facie evidence of itself that he has perused and signed the same. If the bill or other pleading contains scandalous or impertinent matter, the counsel whose name is affixed thereto, subjects himself to the payment of costs to the adverse party, as well as to the censure of the court. (Emerson v. Dallison, 1 Rep. in Ch. 194.) He may even be stricken off the rolls if such offences are repeated and continued. It is not therefore to be presumed that he has affixed his name to the pleading, or suffered it to be done by another without perusing such pleading, and-knowing what is contained therein. To justify the taxing officer in rejecting a charge for counsel perusing and signing the pleading where the name of counsel is subscribed thereto, the party making the objection is bound to shew affirmaatively that the name of the counsel has been improperly plaed there, and without authority.

In ordinary cases, the bill and the amendments thereto form but one record, and counsel are not entitled to a second fee for perusing an amendment. But where a supplemental bill or a bill of revivor is filed, the counsel is entitled to charge for perusing and signing the same ; to be taxed against his own client, or as costs in the cause, according to circumstances, and as such service shall appear to have been rendered necessary by the act or neglect of the client, or otherwise. But in this case the amended bill appears to have been filed in consequence of an agreement between the parties, and as a substitute for the former bill and answers, to save expense. Under the particular circumstances disclosed, the charge for perusing and signing this second bill was properly allowed by the taxing officer. , For the same reason, the charges for a new engrossment of the whole bill, including the amendments, and full copies of the same [350]*350for the solicitors of the respective defendants, were properly allowed.

The amended bill being substituted for the original pleadings, and taken pro confesso by consent of the parties, as to all subsequent proceedings it is to be treated as an original bill taken as confessed, and as if no answers ever had been put in to the first bill. Such was in fact the decision of the court on the hearing of the cause. As to any costs which have accrued since the filing of this amended bill, they must be taxed at the usual rates of allowance upon the bill taken as confessed. But as there were important questions in controversy arising upon the bill itself, which was in the nature of a statement of the facts agreed upon by the parties, -I think the complainant should be allowed for the copy of the bill which was actually made and furnished to the chancellor on the hearing, to enable him to settle the several questions of law and equity arising thereon.

On a decree of course- upon an ex parte hearing, where the bill has been taken as confessed, the solicitor is not entitled to the fee of $5, for attending the court of chancery upon the hearing, although he actually attends with the. counsel employed to argue the cause ex parte. The remarks of Chancellor Kent upon this item in the fee bill of 1818, show that 'the allowance was intended to be confined to cases where the solicitor not only actually attended, but where there was an actual argument of the cause with the counsel for the adverse party ; or, at the least, where the solicitor and counsel for the complainant appeared at the hearing, under á belief that there was to be an actual argument of the case with the adverse party. But even under this construction of the fee bill, the .complainant is entitled to the solicitor’s fee, and to the counsel fee on the hearing. The cause was actually argued on the merits by counsel for all the defendants who appeared in the cause; and important questions were litigated and submitted to the decision of the court; although the amended bill, which stated all the facts truly, was taken as confessed, to save expense. It was therefore such an argument as is provided for in the last clause of tlie 14th section of the present fee bill, (2 R. S. 630,) and not a [351]*351there evasion to take it out of the operation of the preceding clause of that section.

The charge for subpoena and copies was improperly allowed at three folios. The subpoena can never exceed two folios, unless there are at least thirty parties in the cause. The taxing officer must have allowed the three folios in this case through mere inadvertence. Some precipass were also allowed, in the same .manner, on proceedings since the revised statutes went into operation.

The bill had a double aspect; either to foreclose the mortgage against the lot which Beckman alleged was intended to be conveyed, or to obtain the benefit of the covenants of warranty in relation to that which had been recovered from Green by the ejectment suit. The complainant had probable cause for making the judgment creditors of Green defendants. He is therefore entitled to charge for the statement of the lis pendens to be filed in the clerk’s office, and for a notice to each of the defendants, against whom he made no personal claim, agreeably to the 1.33d rule. But he is not to be allowed for such a notice to be served either on Beekman or the mortgagor against whom he claimed a personal decree in this case. The statement which is filed in the clerk’s office is to be drawn and engrossed, and does not come within the specific provision in the fee bill, allowing 37} cents for a notice, including copy and service. The notice to be served on the defendants in the cause is a “ notice actually served,” and therefore is within that specific provision. Although the solicitor will be very inadequately conpensated for drawing and serving the notices in this particular case, it will be made up to him in the drawing and serving of many other notices in the cause, where the allowance will be found an ample compensation for the service rendered. And as these notices are served with the subpcnna, the actual expense of serving them will usually be no greater than the service of the subpoena alone. There does not appear to have been any evidence before the taxing officer that these notices were in fa.ct given; and the affidavits of the service of the subpoenas do not appear on the files of the court, although the taxing officer has allowed for filing them.

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Bluebook (online)
2 Paige Ch. 347, 1831 N.Y. LEXIS 355, 1831 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 72, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/doe-v-green-nychanct-1831.