Jones v. Jones
Jones v. Jones
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting) — It was never the intention of Mrs. Jones to hire Judge Boot. He was employed, or rather associated by his coappellant Olson, and for his benefit. The fact that he was working out the case for Olson should not bind Mrs. Jones to pay for his services. For the services performed — considering also those unperformed —I think the compensation allowed by the lower court was ample. I therefore dissent.
Opinion of the Court
This is an appeal from an order of the superior court of King county, fixing the amount of the attorney’s fees of the appellants, George Olson and Milo A. Root, for services rendered to the respondent Clara B. Jones in a divorce action between her husband and herself. The order was entered in the main action in pursuance of a stipulation filed therein. The stipulation, omitting title, is as follows:
“It is hereby stipulated and agreed, by and between the above named defendant, Clara B. Jones, and her attorneys, George Olson and Milo A. Root, that the amount of compensation due said .attorneys to this date may be fixed by the judge of the above entitled court. Whereupon said attorneys are to turn over to said defendant any papers that they may have in their possession, and withdraw their appearance as attorneys for said defendant in the cause.
“Clara B. Jones, Defendant.
“George Olson,
“Milo A. Root,
“Attorneys for Defendant”
The attorneys, Olson and Root, have appealed.
The respondent has renewed her motion to dismiss the appeal, upon the grounds, (1) that the appellants were not parties to the action and hence have no right of appeal; and (2) that, under the stipulation, the judge of the superior court acted only as an arbitrator, and that his decision is final. The motion was heretofore submitted and denied without an opinion.
Upon its merits the contention is three-fold; (1) That Judge Root was not employed by the respondent; (2) that Olson had no authority to associate him in the case; and (3) that the compensation allowed by the court is adequate for the services rendered. The first two contentions are with-out merit. The record shows that the respondent knew that Judge Root was actively engaged in the case in her behalf. She therefore ratified his employment made by his associate, even if she had not theretofore directed it.
The court allowed the appellants $350 as counsel fees, ordered them to pay $150 (the balance represented by the check) to the respondent, substituted other counsel, and ordered the appellants to deliver to them all papers, files, and documents in their possession relating to the action. They raise the single question of the adequacy of the counsel fees
The case will be remanded with directions to the court to allow the appellants to retain the $500 heretofore paid them, and to enter a judgment in their favor against the respondent for $500 additional. The appellants will recover their costs.
Crow, C. J., Parker, and Mount, JJ., concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Harry A. Jones v. Clara B. Jones, George Olson
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Stipulations — Construction—Submitting Matter to Court — Arbitration — Appeal. A stipulation between a defendant and his attorneys, in a divorce case, made with a view of substituting other counsel, providing that the amount of their compensation shall be fixed by the judge of the trial court, submits the matter to the judge as a court and not as an arbitrator, whose decision is therefore appealable. Appeal — Right to Appeal — Parties—Attorney and Client — Compensation. An order of the superior court fixing attorney’s fees, pursuant to a stipulation between attorney and client that the cflurt should fix the compensation, is appealable by the attorneys, under Rem. & Bal. Code, § 1716, subds. 1 and 6, allowing appeals by any party aggrieved by the decision. Attorney and Client — Employment op Associate — Authority'— Ratification. A client ratifies the employment by her attorney of associate counsel, where she knew he was actively engaged in the case, and stipulated that the court might fix his compensation. Divorce — Attorney’s Pees — Adequacy of Allowance — Evidence— Sufficiency. Where a defendant in a divorce case represented to attorneys that she had been overreached in a settlement, receiving only $125,000 from the plaintiff, who was worth over $1,000,000, and the attorneys examined many papers, and filed an answer, cross-complaint, and a number of motions and affidavits and appeared in court three times, procuring an order for $500 suit money, which was paid over to them, an allowance of but $350 as attorney’s fees, on substituting other counsel, is inadequate, and on evidence estimating the value from $100 to $4,000, should be fixed at $1,000, in view of the value of the property and the services rendered (Chadwick, J., dissenting) .