Lindley v. Ross
Lindley v. Ross
Opinion of the Court
We think the learned judge below was right in holding, under the facts of this case, that there must be a demand and refusal to pay, before the defendants in the judgment can be subjected to the payment of attorney’s commissions. This was the rule laid down in Johnson v. Marsh, 21 W. N. 570, where it was said: “ In the absence of satisfactory evidence of a demand for payment before entering the judgment and issuing the execution, we think the necessity of resorting to the services of an attorney for collecting the money does not appear, and, without proof of such necessity, the defendants ought not to be subjected to the payment of the commissions.” To the same point is Moore’s App., 110 Pa. 433.
The learned judge found that no demand for payment had been made, and as it was admitted that the debt, interest, and all costs, except attorney’s commissions, had been full}' paid, he ordered satisfaction to be entered upon the record of the judgment. In this there was no error. In Daly v. Maitland,
The order is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- J. D. LINDLEY v. J. B. ROSS
- Cited By
- 12 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. An attorney’s fee for collection, usually inserted in judgment obligations. is in the nature of a penalty, not liquidated damages, and its enforcement is a matter within the control of the court in the exercise of its equity powers: Daly v. Maitland, 88 Pa. 384; Imler v. Tmler, 94 Pa. 372/ 2. In the absence of a demand made for payment, before entering judgment upon such an obligation, the necessity of resorting to the services of an attorney does not appear, and the defendant should not be subjected to the payment of attorney’s commissions: Johnson v. Marsh, 21 W. N. 570. 3. This rule applies, although the note was left in the hands of an attorney, and before the entry of judgment the defendant was informed of that fact, and that if he desired to make payment on the note he should call upon the attorney to do so.