Garter v. United States

31 Ct. Cl. 344, 1896 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 52, 1800 WL 1970
CourtUnited States Court of Claims
DecidedJune 15, 1896
DocketNo. 18266
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 31 Ct. Cl. 344 (Garter v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Garter v. United States, 31 Ct. Cl. 344, 1896 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 52, 1800 WL 1970 (cc 1896).

Opinion

Pbelle, J.,

delivered tbe opinion of tbe court:

Tbe claimant seeks to recover for professional services rendered as special counsel, at tbe request and employment of tbe Attorney-Gen eral of tbe United States, in a cause on appeal to tbe Circuit Court of Appeals for tbe ninth circuit from a judgment rendered by tbe District Court for tbe District of Alaska whilst tbe claimant was at tbe same time tbe United States district attorney for tbe northern district of California, within tbe territorial limits of which tbe Circuit Court of Appeals was sitting.

For tbe services thus rendered tbe claimant presented an account for $450 to tbe circuit judge for said northern district, who approved tbe same as a just and reasonable allowance.

Tbe account so approved was then presented to tbe Attorney-General, who approved tbe same for tbe sum of $300 and forwarded tbe claim to tbe accounting officers of tbe Treasury Department for adjustment.

Tbe claim was transmitted to tbe court by tbe Secretary of tbe Treasury, at tbe request of the First Comptroller of tbe Treasury, under tbe provisions of Eevised Statutes, section 1063, as set forth in finding v as involving controverted questions of law, etc.

Tbe question presented is as to tbe power and authority of tbe Attorney-General of tbe United States to employ tbe claimant, a district attorney, as special counsel to represent tbe United States in a cause in which they are parties, on appeal from a judgment rendered by tbe District Court for tbe District of Alaska to tbe Circuit Court of Appeals sitting in San Francisco within tbe territorial limits of tbe district in which' tbe claimant’s official duties were required to be performed.

If tbe services for which tbe claimant seeks to recover were performed by him as district attorney, or if tbe services came within bis official duties, be can not recover, altbongb performed at tbe request and employment of tbe Attorney-General of tbe United States, as under Eevised Statutes, section 771, it is made “the duty of every district attorney to prosecute in bis district * * * all civil actions in which the United States are concerned.”

And by Revised Statutes, section 1765, they are prohibited from receiving any additional pay, extra allowance, or com[348]*348pensation in any form whatever, for the disbursement of public money, or for any other service or duty whatever, unless the same is authorized by law, and the appropriation therefor explicitly states that it is for such additional pay, extra allowance, or compensation.”

That section was construed by the Supreme Court in the case of Hoyt v. United States (10 How., 109, 141) most rigidly against the right of a district attorney to recover extra pay or allowance for services performed as such.

As if that section were not comprehensive enough, Congress, by the Act June 20, 1874 (1 Supp. to R. S., 2d ed., p. 18), provided—

“That no civil officer of the Government shall hereafter receive any compensation or perquisites, directly or indirectly, from the Treasury or property of the United States beyond his salary or compensation allowed by law: Provided, That this shall not be construed to prevent the employment' and payment by the Department of Justice of district attorneys as now allowed by law for the performance of services not covered by their salaries or fees.”

The defendants contend, and we think rightly, that the only compensation to which a district attorney may be entitled by way of salary and fees, certainly in the preparation and trial of causes, is covered by Revised Statutes, sections 770, 823, 824, 825, and 827.

Section 824 provides for specific 'fees for specific service, while for analogous service in cases “where the United States is interested, but is not a party of record,” Revised Statutes, section 299, authorizes the allowance of assimilated fees.

The salary of $200 a year given by section 770 was evidently intended by Congress to cover such incidental services as are not provided for by specific or analogous fees, such as those which may be required of them by the Attorney-General under Revised Statutes, section 355. in respect to the title to real estate.

It does not follow, however, that a district attorney may not be required to perform services in behalf of the United States for which no compensation is provided.

The rule on this subject was stated in the case of United States v. King (147 U. S., 676, 679)

“The ordinary rule, in the absence of legislation, is that if the statute increases the duties of an officer by the addition of other duties germane to his office, he must perform them with[349]*349out extra compensation; but if be is employed to render services in an independent employment, not incidental to bis. official duties, be may recover for sucb services.” (Mecbem on Public Officers, secs. 862, 863.)

If, therefore, tbe services performed by tbe. claimant in tbe Circuit Court of Appeals were germane to bis office be can not recover, tbougb no compensation is provided tberefor. B.ut if' be rendered “ service in an independent employment, not incidental to bis official duties, be may recover for sucb services.”

Tbe services performed by tbe claimant in tbe Circuit Court of Appeals were apparently germane to bis office, as they were performed witbin tbe territorial limits of bis district,, and, too, in a cause in wbicb tbe United States were 'parties, but sucb services do not appear to bave come witbin bis official duties, for tbe reason that tbe cause originated and was prosecuted to final judgment in the District Court for tbe District of 'Alaska, from wbicb tbe appeal was taken.

So that, if tbe services performed by tbe claimant in tbat cause in tbe Circuit Court of Appeals came witbin bis official duties, it is evidently because tbe Court of Appeals was at tbe time sitting in San Francisco, witbin the territorial limits of tbe district wherein tbe claimant was required to perform bis official duties.

To so bold might impose upon a single district attorney in each judicial circuit tbe hardship of appearing in tbe Court of Appeals in every cause coming up on appeal from tbe various districts witbin tbe judicial circuit wherein tbe United States were interested.

This we do not believe Congress contemplated when tbe Circuit Courts of Appeals were created.

If it is not tbe recognized practice for district attorneys to follow their respective cases into tbe Circuit Court of Appeals witbin their respective judicial circuits, we are inclined to tbe opinion that, in tbe interest of tbe United States, it is witbin the scope and power of the Attorney-General to establish sucb practice by requiring district attorneys to do so.

In tbe Perry Case (28 C. Cls. R., 483, 491), tbe court, in speaking of tbe power of tbe Attorney-General under Devised Statutes, sections 355 to 366, in respect to tbe litigation and law business in which tbe United States are interested, said:

“These provisions are too comprehensive and too specific to [350]

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Related

Vlachos v. United States
90 Ct. Cl. 165 (Court of Claims, 1940)
McPherson v. United States
245 F. 35 (Sixth Circuit, 1917)
United States v. Garter
170 U.S. 527 (Supreme Court, 1898)
Milchrist v. United States
31 Ct. Cl. 403 (Court of Claims, 1896)

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Bluebook (online)
31 Ct. Cl. 344, 1896 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 52, 1800 WL 1970, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/garter-v-united-states-cc-1896.