Robison v. Campbell

661 P.2d 479, 99 N.M. 579
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 3, 1983
Docket5464
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 661 P.2d 479 (Robison v. Campbell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Robison v. Campbell, 661 P.2d 479, 99 N.M. 579 (N.M. Ct. App. 1983).

Opinions

OPINION

WOOD, Judge.

The prior appeal in this case, Robison v. Katz, 94 N.M. 314, 610 P.2d 201 (Ct.App.1980), gives the factual and procedural background. In the prior appeal, a panel of this Court reversed a damage award in favor of Katz against Robison and Campbell (Opal A. and Sam Q. Campbell) based on negligent misrepresentation. The prior opinion states:

The case is remanded to the trial court with an order to grant Katz rescission of the contract with Campbell. Rescission is to be accompanied with an accounting between Katz and Campbell. On remand, the court is also to hold hearings to determine 1) what special damages, and what punitive damages, if any, may be awarded Katz as against Robison, and 2) whether the attorneys’ fees claimed by the Sutin firm are excessive.

This appeal is from the judgment entered after trial upon remand. The judgment gave Katz a net monetary award based on the rescission, consequential damages against Opal A. Campbell and Robison, and punitive damages against Robison. The judgment also awarded an attorney’s charging lien in favor of the Sutin law firm (Sutin, Thayer & Browne, P.C.), which attached to Katz’ recovery. The judgment ordered Katz to pay certain costs and dismissed Katz’ claim against Sam Q. Campbell with prejudice. Katz appeals; the Sutin firm, Campbell and Robison cross-appeal. We group the issues, generally, as follows — those (1) decided summarily (2) between Katz and the Sutin firm, (3) between Katz and Campbell, (4) between Katz and Robison, and (5) involving costs. The specific contentions are identified in the discussion under each general grouping. Several of the specific contentions are disposed of by the rule that the trial court, on remand, has only the jurisdiction conferred by the opinion and mandate in the prior appeal. Casias v. Zia Co., 94 N.M. 723, 616 P.2d 436 (Ct.App.1980).

Issues Decided Summarily

1. The number of appealing parties has resulted in numerous briefs. The number was increased, however, when Katz filed briefs indicating they were briefs in Katz’ “cross-appeal”. Inasmuch as the other parties involved in this so-called cross-appeal have filed answer briefs, no party was harmed by the extra briefing. The only consequence was to add to this Court’s work.

Campbell contends that, in this case, Katz could not be both an appellant and cross-appellant. The contents of the briefs filed by Katz in her “cross-appeal” indicate that Katz was proceeding as an appellee in the cross-appeals of Campbell and Robison, see R.Civ.App.Proc. 3(b), N.M.S.A.1978, rather than as a true cross-appellant. The issues “raised” in Katz’ cross-appeal were already before us as a result of the cross-appeals of Campbell and Robison. Katz’ “cross-appeal” arguments are no more than elaborations of her answers to those cross-appeals. Thus, neither Campbell nor Robison have been prejudiced by Katz’ designation of herself as a cross-appellant, as well as an appellant, and we need not decide the propriety of the designations.

2. The trial court erred in dismissing Katz’ claim against Sam Q. Campbell. There are two reasons.

First, dismissal was wrong procedurally. References in the prior opinion to “Campbell” were to Opal A. Campbell and' Sam Q. Campbell. See 94 N.M. 317, 610 P.2d 201. The prior opinion ordered rescission and an accounting against both Camp-bells. In light of the prior opinion, the trial court lacked the power (jurisdiction) to dismiss Sam Q. Campbell.

Second, dismissal was wrong under the facts. The trial court dismissed on the basis of Sam Q. Campbell’s lack of participation in the events on which rescission was based. The dismissal disregards documents showing that Sam was a seller, and the trial court’s unchallenged finding that Sam authorized his partner Opal to handle all negotiations. Opal’s participation was also on behalf of Sam. There is no factual basis for the conclusion that Sam should be dismissed.

The judgment to be entered against “Campbell”, upon the remand ordered by this opinion, is to be against both Camp-bells.

Katz v. The Sutin Firm

This dispute involves the attorney’s charging lien awarded by the trial court; it subdivides into three contentions.

1. Whether the validity of the charging lien may be reviewed.

The Sutin firm contends that the propriety of awarding the charging lien may not be reviewed. The law firm claims that the validity of a charging lien was decided in the first appeal. It asserts that the prior opinion held that Katz’ bankruptcy did not affect the charging lien awarded in the judgment entered after the first trial and that the prior opinion held that the charging lien was valid. It argues that, the validity of the charging lien having been determined, the issue is either res judicata or estoppel by judgment. These contentions are based on erroneous “findings” of the trial court.

The trial court erred in finding that the first opinion decided the bankruptcy issue. The reference to the bankruptcy in the first opinion was limited to a question of this Court’s jurisdiction on the basis of facts before this Court at that time. See 94 N.M. 317, 610 P.2d 201. In this appeal, we have more than a pending bankruptcy petition; the bankruptcy proceeding has been completed and Katz has been discharged.

The trial court also erred in finding that the first opinion held that the charging lien was valid. Although the prior opinion indirectly approved of the charging lien awarded after the first trial, there was no issue before this Court concerning its validity, and the prior opinion did not decide its validity. The fee issue in the first appeal was whether the fees of the Sutin firm were excessive, and that issue was remanded to the trial court. See 94 N.M. 324, 610 P.2d 201.

There has been no prior appellate determination of the validity of the charging lien awarded after the first trial. That charging lien was for prior services of the attorney; those services were the basis for the charging lien again awarded after trial upon remand. There having been no prior decision on the merits of the charging lien, consideration of its validity is not barred by concepts of res judicata or estoppel by judgment. See Christman v. Holland, 92 N.M. 151, 584 P.2d 198 (Ct.App.1978).

2. Whether the charging lien is valid.

Katz attacks the validity of the charging lien awarded after trial upon remand. In the first appeal Katz conceded, properly, the validity of the charging lien awarded after the first trial. In this appeal, again properly, she does not change her position as to this. Her attack on the validity of the charging lien awarded after the second trial is based on an asserted lack of connection between the two judgments.

Before identifying and answering Katz’ three contentions, we briefly restate concepts involved in the charging lien. See Northern Pueblos Enterprises v. Montgomery, 98 N.M.

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661 P.2d 479, 99 N.M. 579, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/robison-v-campbell-nmctapp-1983.