Meyer v. Stone
Meyer v. Stone
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
In this case there was a judgment for plaintiff for one hundred and twenty-five dollars, and if the verdict of the jury, on which the judgment was entered, is supported by any substantial evidence, then the judgment must be affirmed. The record presents no other question.
It appears that the defendant, who is an attorney at law, represented the plaintiff in the collection of a claim in her favor against the “United Order of Honor.” The claim was for three thousand dollars, and was based on a certificate of insurance issued ón
We may in the first place suggest that it is entirely immaterial, whether or not the parties in the beginning* made a contract in reference to the amount of compensation which the defendant was to receive for collecting* the claim against the insurance company, for- the reason that such contract (if made) was subsequently set aside and an entirely new agreement substituted. The testimony of both parties justifies this conclusion. We will, therefore, not incumber this opinion with a discussion of the differences between the parties touching the original contract, if any such contract was actually made.
It appears from the record that some time after the claim had been placed with the defendant for collection, and after he had made a trip to Indianapolis to see the general officers of the insurance company in reference to its payment, the plaintiff concluded that she would employ another attorney and so informed the defendant. Thereupon the defendant offeréd to withdraw from the case, but to this the plaintiff would not consent. The defendant then demanded that a definite contract be made as to his compensation. The defendant’s evidence tended strongly to show that it was then agreed that he should be paid three hundred dollars for his services, and that his compensation was not made to depend upon any contingency. On the other hand, we think that the plaintiff’s evidence had some tendency
It appears from the record that the plaintiff is a German woman, who speaks the English language very imperfectly; hence, we must rely chiefly on her daughter’s testimony for her version or understanding of the contract. Before going into an examination of plaintiff’s evidence touching the contract, it will be necessary,' to a proper understanding of it, to state that soon after the contract had been made with defendant touching his fees, an understanding was arrived at with the insurance company. It was agreed that the plaintiff should receive the amount of one assessment against the members of the order, which in’ amount should be not less than twenty-five hundred dollars and not more than three thousand dollars. The money was to be paid in monthly payments of two hundred and fifty dollars. ' The company paid in cash on this settlement two hundred and fifty dollars, and subsequently paid three installments of two hundred ánd fifty dollars each; then it became insolvent. Nothing more was realized on the claim. The defendant collected the three installments, and he reserved from each the sum of seventy-five dollars on account of his fee. The defendant’s evidence tended to prove that, at the time the claim was adjusted, it was agreed that he should •deduct from each payment the sum- of seventy-five dollars, until he had received the amount of his fee.
As before stated, but little information can be gotten from the plaintiff ’ s own evidence. Her testimony as preserved in the record is quite unintelligible, and she evidently did not comprehend fully the questions propounded to her. Concerning the last contract we extract the following:
íc Q. But wasn’t Stone to receive three hundred dollars for his pay ? Do you understand my question \ A. I can’t understand it very well.
“ Q. What full amount? Twenty-five hundred or three thousand dollars ? A. Three thousand dollars.
“ Q. Didn’t you make an arrangement with the benevolent association by which you agreed to receive twenty-five hundred dollars in full on your claim against it? A. I can’t remember.”
Minnie Meyers, the plaintiff’s daughter, was present during the negotiations between the defendant and her mother, and her testimony concerning the defendant’s contract for fees was as follows:
“Q. Wasn’t there a contract made between your mother and Mr. Stone at his office on Broadway and Olive, subsequent to the date of this instrument which has been shown here, by which Mr. Stone was to receive three hundred dollars in full for his services ? A. Not a written contract.
“ Q. Was there a verbal contract made at that time ? A. If my mother was to receive the full insurance, thé full amount of the insurance ?
“ Q. If your mother was to receive the full amount of the insurance ? A. Yes, sir.
“ Q. And Mr. Stone was not to receive his fee, unless there was collected the full amount of the insurance? A. Yes, sir.”
The witness admitted that, at the time of the settlement with the company, her mother consented that the defendant should retain from each monthly installment the siim of seventy-five dollars, until he had received the amount of his fee.
That the defendant established by a preponderance of evidence that he was to receive absolutely three hundred dollars, we may concede, yet it is not necessary to remind counsel that this court has nothing to do with the weight of evidence. On the hearing the triers of the fact decided against the defendant on this question,
The plaintiff’s statement set forth what she claimed to be the original contract between her and the defendant in reference to the latter’s employment and the amount of his compensation, and she alleged that by its terms the defendant was only entitled to retain the sum of fifty dollars for his services. It was then averred that the defendant had collected two hundred and twenty-five dollars from the insurance company, and that the plaintiff was entitled to a judgment for one
The plaintiff obtained a judgment before the justice of the peace for one hundred and seventy-five dollars. She claimed in the circuit court that a proper notice of appeal had not been served, and she filed a motion for an affirmance- on that ground. The court overruled the motion, and plaintiff contends that this action of the court ought to be reviewed by us. This question may be disposed of with the observation that the plaintiff is not an appellant, and is in no position to complain. If she felt aggrieved by the action of the court in overruling the motion to affirm, she ought to have taken a cross-appeal.
Finding no error in the record, we will affirm the judgment.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.