In re Rein
Opinion of the Court
In this case, the marshal, under an order of the court made to that end. presented to and filed with the clerk for taxation, a statement of his fees, under general order No. 30. containing 2S items, amounting in the aggregate to $441.33. It was accompanied by an affidavit of a deputy marshal as to certain particular items, and to the effect that all the services charged for in the bill were actually performed. as therein stated, and that all the expenses charged in it were actually and necessarily incurred and paid by the marshal. and are just and reasonable. The as-signee in bankruptcy had notice, and thereupon consented in writing that the bill be taxed at $391.50, and the clerk taxed it at that amount. The assignee drew a cheque for the amount to the order of the marshal, which cheque the register in charge declined to countersign. The register, in compliance with an order of the court, has certified his reasons for so declining and his reasons why the judge should not countersign the cheque.
General order No. 30 provides that the “clerk shall tax each fee-bill, allowing none but such as are provided for by these rules, which taxation shall be conclusive, reserving to any party interested exceptions to the bills as taxed, which shall be decided by the court.”
The register certifies as a reason for his not countersigning the cheque, that as lie will hereafter be charged with the duty, under section 4908, of auditing the accounts of the assignee, when presented at a meeting of creditors held under section 5092 or section 5093, he will then havé the right to examine the items of the bill taxed by the clerk, and determine whether they are properly allowable against the estate, so far as the $391.50 taxed embraces them: that he is of opinion that some of the items in the bill, which must have been allowed as part of the $391.50, are items not provided for by statute or rule, within the provisions of general order No. 30, and, therefore, items which the clerk had no power to allow, on taxation; that it cannot be told, from the taxed bill, what items the clerk allowed, as he merely taxed the bill at the gross sum named by the as-signee in his written consent; that neither the register nor the judge ought, by countersigning the cheque now, to do an act which may deprive the register of the right to hereafter audit the bill and its items, as part of the accounts of the assignee, and thus put the estate, if the bill should be audited at a less amount than that at which it has been taxed by the clerk, to the expense of recovering back from the marshal the amount overpaid: and that the provision of general order No. 30, that the taxation by the clei'k shall be conclusive, cannot deprive the register of the power of auditing the accounts of the as-signee. given by the statute.
As respects the marshal and his bill, the assignee represents the bankrupt and his estate and the creditors interested in it. When the marshal lias concluded the rendering ol' his services and desires to have his bill taxed, so that it may be paid, it is proper that it should be taxed, if there be an assignee, without awaiting the presentation of the as-signee’s final account, which may be long delayed. In such case, notice of taxation is properly given to the assignee, find it is not necessary to give such notice to creditors. It is the duty of the assignee to examine the bill, and if, on such examination, he is satisfied that the bill is lawfully taxable at a certain amount, he has the right to consent to its being taxed at that amount. Such consent is a sufficient warrant for the taxing of the bill by the clerk at that amount. The provision in general order No. 30, that the clerk shall, in taxing any bill thereunder, allow no items or fees but such as are provided for by the general orders, imposes upon the clerk no other or greater duty than if such provision were not in the general or
How far this taxation may be conclusive hereafter, on the auditing of the assignee’s accounts, it is not necessary now to decide. It is conclusive for the present to entitle the marshal to have the cheque countersigned. If the cheque shall not be countersigned by the register within five days after the presentation to the register of a copy of an order to be entered hereon, the judge will countersign it, on proof of such presentation and that the cheque has not been countersigned.
I do not see that the register has any lien on the moneys in the hands of the assignee, and which may be paid out to the marshal on the cheque in question, for the services of the register in .making the certificates which he has made in this case.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- In re REIN
- Status
- Published