Case ID: pa_338/html/0257-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "Per Curiam,", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Hallstead’s Estate.
    Argued April 10, 1940.
    Before Schaefer, C. J., Maxey, Drew, Linn, Stern, Barnes and Patterson, JJ.
    
      M. J. Martin, with him Ralph W. Rymer, for appellant.
    
      W. Heyward Myers, Jr., with him Morgan, Lewis & Bockiws, for appellee.
    May 6, 1940:
   Per Curiam,

This is an appeal from a decree of the orphans’ court fixing the fee of a guardian ad litem at $7,500. We think it important that the fees of such guardians shall not be unduly large. In a special sense they are representatives of the court appointing them to protect unrepresented minors and the interests of those unborn. Under the circumstances disclosed in this proceeding, the fees of the guardian ought not to exceed those of the attorneys ■who represented the estate generally, which were $2,500. We have carefully examined the record and conclude that the fee of the guardian , ad litem, a lawyer of high standing, who himself did the legal work connected with his guardianship, should be fixed at $2,000. We direct the court below to reduce it to this sum. ■

Decree modified. Costs to be paid by the Estate of William F. Hallstead.