Case ID: misc_74/html/0213-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "Kappee, J.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Samuel Wulff, Plaintiff, v. Meta Wulff, Defendant.
    (Supreme Court, Kings Special Term for Motions,
    November, 1911.)
    Attorney and client — The relation with the client — Creation and na- . ture of relation — Termination of authority.
    Contempt — Procedure—Process and entitling proceedings — Notice.
    After the entry of final judgment in a matrimonial action a contempt proceeding for nonpayment of counsel fees and alimony may not be instituted without personal service of the order to show cause upon the defendant husband.
    There is no presumption that the attorney who appeared for the defendant in the action prior to the final judgment was authorized to appear in any subsequent proceedings.
    • Motion to punish for contempt for nonpayment of counsel fees and alimony.
    Jones, McKinny & Steinbrink, for motion.
    No other appearance.
   Kappee, J.

Weich v. Weich, 59 Misc. Rep. 238, and Carr v. Carr, 64 id. 435, holding that service of the order to show cause upon the husband’s attorney, only, was sufficient to put him in contempt for nonpayment of alimony, so far as appears from the reports, were both.cases of proceedings before final judgment. ■ After -final judgment, however, I think that contempt- proceedings in a matrimonial action cannot be instituted without service of the order to show cause upon the husband personally. Keller v. Keller, 100 App. Div. 325.

In the case at bar, service of the order to show cause was directed to be made upon the attorney who appeared for the husband in the action. Said attorney appeared in response to the order to show cause and stated that he was without authority to appear on this motion. As was said in the Keller case, supra, 331: “ There is no presumption that the attorney who had appeared for the defendant in the action prior to the final judgment had authority to appear in subsequent proceedings.’’

The motion must be denied.

Motion denied.