Fanfan v. Fajardo Sugar Growers Ass'n
Fanfan v. Fajardo Sugar Growers Ass'n
Opinion of the Court
delivered tbe following opinion:
Last week, tbe day before tbe case was set for trial, tbe plaintiff made a motion for an. order of dismissal or nonsuit and made a tender of tbe clerk’s costs. This motion was made to tbe court. I do not know wbat bad happened prior thereto before tbe clerk. There is nothing before me about that, but at tbe time tbe defendant was in court and stated that be bad bis witnesses in town, brought from a distance, and my ruling was that a payment of costs fairly considered would mean tbe payment of all taxable costs, and not simply tbe costs in tbe clerk’s office for subpoenaing witnesses, or whatever might be connected with witnesses. I did not intend that it would mean attorneys’ fees or anything of that sort, but simply wbat are taxable costs. I directed tbe clerk to tax tbe costs in accordance with that bolding. I understand they amounted to $82.50. I suggested to counsel for tbe plaintiff that if tbe amount was not correct, be should make a motion to have them retaxed. I take it that tbe matter comes before me now, however, not on any objection to tbe costs as taxed, but on general principles.
1. Tbe matter of forma pauperis makes no' difference one way or tbe other. Tbe person who sues in forma pauperis is not now asking leave to sue; be is asking leave not to sue, to get out of bis suit, and that statute does not apply one way or tbe other. It is just tbe same as if that was not in tbe case.
2. As to dismissal with costs, I think, as I stated last week, that § 192 of tbe Code of Civil Procedure applies. That, however, provides for tbe payment of costs, and tbe question under tbe statute is, Wbat are tbe costs that we are concerned
I think I am construing the practice correctly when I say that the costs must be those of both sides up to the time when-the motion is properly made, and the clerk has taxed them at $82.50. If there is anything wrong with the amount, there-is another way of getting at it, but that does not come up this morning. The plaintiff practically admits that he must pay the* costs, but he says that the taxation should be made at the time when he first went to the clerk and stated that he wanted to dismiss his case and tendered his check. I am not able to pass-upon this because I do not know what happened before the-clerk. What happened before the court was that a motion was-made to the court, not to the clerk, to take a nonsuit, and a-certain tender was alleged, and at the time, as I understood it, it was admitted that the tender did not embrace the costs of' the defendant at the time, and I held that it must cover the-costs of the defendant up to that time. The matter went over.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- JOSE MATEO FANFAN v. FAJARDO SUGAR GROWERS ASSOCIATION
- Status
- Published