The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-06-01
LAWYERS LOOT.
How Big Fees Are Rolled
Up and Fat Incomes
Made.
RECEIVERSHIPS PAY WELL
Railroads and Divorces Are Pretty
Piekings---Damag Suits
as a Speculation.

AOE many generations beeu LEGITIMATE
subject for puns and satire. It occurred
to me yesterday that It would be but fair
to the lawyers and che se-called suffer
ing humanity to make q few invsstiga-
lions in the matter and to make known
the results.tQ thu ssho have never had
practical experience into lRw courts. A
lawyer. friend of mime who is ever
willing aud anxious TO receive q RETAINER,
was sought and when asked him what
it cost to go to law he replied In the
Yankee style by saying Thinking Of
trying itn
sNos oh no; I ask simply from curl
osisy.'
'sThis is a big sub ject, " ang man; a big
subject, for | find that. generally. all
lawyers get what they can and all they
can. never knew one though to get all
he wanted,' said the disciple of Black
stone, meditatively.
COST OF a SMALL SUIT
Suppose ~ said he, Smith sues Jones
to collect one hundred dollars The suit
would be brought inc District Court. If
there should be but one lawyer on each
side they would receive at least a ten dol
case
was tried would also receive trial fee OF
five dollars apiece. The cost OF court be-
fore the trial would be about two dollars,
and during the trial the costs would de-
pend on the number of witnesses and ex-
hlbits and might amount to-say ten dol
lars. II judgment should be given against
Jones, the defendant, and he appealed TO
the Court of Common Pleas, the lawyers
would each receive ten dollars more for
preparing their case, which, by the way,
is already prepared by the first trial, and
also q trial fee of at least five dollars
more. The cost of the appeal void be
about three dollars and then the wit
ness and exhibit fees would again he
charged, and as in The lower court would
amount to ten dollars more
In this court, Jones the defendant, is
again defeated. He is angry by this time
and has resolved to beat the obnoxious
Smith If Is takes q Doodle TO do it, He
CARRIES the case to the Supreme court. I"
---s-s WHAT II COSTS THERE.
About all the costs in The Common
Pleas are doubled in this court, except
witness fees and exhibits Counsel each
receive at least $50 for their services in
the Supreme Court. aud the contestants
must also pay for having the briefs
printed to be submitted; the expense at
tached TO this being governed exactly by
its length. Incidentally you may add
may be necessary before the case is called
The expenses are generally paid by the
parties to the suit, each caring for his
own counsel II. VII an She ease reaches
this stage, IL Should BE- deemed d7isable
70 Rave an associate counselan additional
cost would be Incurred Of from SOS up
ward; but, assuming that no additional
counsel has been engaged, and the SUI
preme Court afftrms the Judgment of the
court below after hearing the argument.
then up to this point all the costs, except
the counsel fee of plaintiffs lawyer, is
put on Jones. the defendant. This is
more than he was sued for originally, an
he is determined that he will not pay this
amount, and the original sum sued for
also. which he believes Smith is not hon
estly entitled to.
He appeals to the Court of Errors and
Appeals.
STILL FURTHER EXPENSE.
The costs in this court are about the
same as they We're in heJSupreme Court.
The Court of Errors in Que time hears
argument in the case and the decision OF
the supreme Court is upheld and again
Jones, the defendant, is a looser. The
Court of Errors and Appeals gives judg
ment in favor of Smith for about three
hundred dollars. When Smith and his
lawyer settle, the lawyer charges him
ten dollars more for a final counsel fee
lars, retaining the balance for himself.
All the costs of the case must be paid by
Jones except the counsel fees of Smiths
lawyer. The costs in q suit like this
could be made much larger for there are
scores of lawyers who would not take a
retainer for less than 500.
THE LAWYERS BONANZA.
"What cases, counsellor, pay lawyers
the bestan
"Counseiship and Receivership. 1t is a
bonanza to be receiver for railroad.
When Ashbel Green was receiver tor the
West Shore Railroad Company the
chancellor allowed him $4,000 for his
fees, and this was after the Chancellor
had cut his bill considerably. IL is
said that the Central Railroad of New
Jersey paid Henry S. Little more than
that when he was receiver of that corpor-
alton. Oh, there is Doodle for any one
who is made a receiver"
What compensation do lawyers re-
ceive who appear only as counsel for the
attorneys?"
THAT depends entirely on the,amount
involved and who the lawyer is. In a
case involving 500. 900 there are anumber
of lawyers in this city who would present
bill for $4,000 for services as counsel "
There is another species of litigation
which is a mint for lawyers, and that is
diverse cases. Where people can afford
$500 is a very ordinary retaining fee. and
frequently lawyer will make 5000 out
OF such a suit, and occasionally much
more. The Court of Chancery affords a
bigger field for large fees than any, all
the other courts combined. 1t exercises
q fartherly care over the receivers for
corporations, protects vast estates for, or
plans and gives redress to all such con-
tested matters involving equity and not
common law. Fees in such proceedings
can not be estimated. nor can the cost of
court, Tor frequently matter may be
Irrigated in this court for a dozen years,
the original amount claimed being buried
out of sight by the costs of the proceed
ipgs.''
CHECKLISTS BIG FEES.
1T is related of the late ex-Attorney
General, Robert Gilchrist, that he was
once engaged as counsel by some emf
nent New York lawyers who had very
large railroad litigation ON hand in this
State He was told the railroad would
pay literally The law suit was brought
to successful termination in the Court
of Chancery and Mr.. Gilchrist was di-
rected to present his bill for the services
he rendered and not to fear about max
ing IL a strong one.
Sin matters of this nature the Attor-
ney General never felt the slightest fear
erd he handed in a bill for $4,000. A few
days later one Of the New York lawyers
called on Mr. Gilchrist with a check for
$50. 900 and asked him ii that would not
be enough. He looked at the check care