Theilman v. Superior Court of Alameda Cty.
Theilman v. Superior Court of Alameda Cty.
Opinion of the Court
This is an original petition in this court for a writ of mandate to compel the respondents to dismiss a certain action pending before them, entitled Theilman v. Theilman.
L. D. Theilman, through her attorneys, Dodge & Fry, commenced an action in the court of respondents, against her husband, M. C. Theilman, to obtain a divorce. A demurrer was interposed to the complaint, and overruled. Defendant then filed an answer, and the action is now pending and undetermined. The plaintiff, on March 8, 1882, made an affidavit that she did not desire to further prosecute the action, and prayed the court to dismiss it. Thereupon the defendant, M. C. Theilman (petitioner herein), upon notice to plaintiff’s attorneys, moved the court to dismiss the action. At the hearing of the motion plaintiff’s attorneys filed a written objection to the dismissal, which was based entirely upon the fact that plaintiff owed them a certain sum of money as attorneys’ fee in the case, and in which they consented to the dismissal upon condition that said sum should be paid them. The objection was accompanied by "the affidavit of one of plaintiff’s said attorneys, showing the amount due them from plaintiff for legal services-in the case.
The court denied the motion. In the order denying it the court recites the fact that counsel for defendant were asked if they would pay said attorneys’ fee, and declined to do so, and that plaintiff’s declined to consent to the dismissal unless their fee was paid, and contended that the action could not be dismissed without their consent while they remained attorneys of record; and the order declared that the motion was denied, “on the ground that Messrs. Dodge & Fry, being attorneys of record for plaintiff, had the absolute right to control the action in her behalf.” Thereupon the defendant (petitioner herein) commenced this proceeding to compel the respondents herein to dismiss said action.
It is not necessary to determine whether the respondent erred in refusing to dismiss the action. From the
The prayer of the petitioner is denied and the proceeding dismissed.
De Haven, J., Garoutte, J,, and Harrison, J., concurred.
Rehearing denied.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- M. C. THEILMAN v. SUPERIOR COURT OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, and W. E. GREEN, Judge
- Cited By
- 5 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Divorce — Dismissal — Attorney and Client — Mandamus — Remedy at La.\\v — Substitution of Attorneys — Condonation. — It seems that the attorneys for the plaintiff in a divorce suit are not entitled to insist that the cause be retained until their fees are paid, against the expressed wish of their client to dismiss the action; but mandamus to the court is not the proper remedy to compel such dismissal, the plaintiff having an adequate remedy to secure the dismissal, if desired, by a substitution of attorneys; and as the affidavit and prayer for dismissal filed in the action by the plaintiff constitute a condonation by which the defendant can at any time defeat the action, the defendant is not entitled , to a writ of mandate to compel the dismissal.