The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-10-11

e Dy COuCrOlLeT SuSTWOOu ~
allegedly complete list Of
Waterbury lawyers who owe fees u
the city court. The total Is said u
be $7,7S717, and includes debt'
ranging from fifty cents to $3.50.
Barristers Peeved
Lawyers are ircensed over the
publication Of the list, many Of
them claiming that their bills had
been paid, others making known
the fact that they had received nc
bill for the month prior TO the
issuance Of the list.
II the suggestions Of the lawyers
are correct--that they have been
overcharged by the city court, then
they might have basis for action
against the city TO collect the over
charges during the past seven years
The waterbury charter which
contains the two sections they cite
as important In the question be-
came effective IN 1881.
There remains q serious question,
however, as to whether the charter
provisions indicated by the lawyers
can be effective in cases involving
more than 800 damages.
At the present time the lawyers
are charged 81 for entry fee and
GIL for Judgment fee In the city
court. These fees are similar Ia
those employed In superior court
Section 1876
Section 1875 Of the charter, which
Is cited today by aggrieved counsel
Is as follows:
Fees and Costs 10 Be Collected
The clerk Of said court shall keep
docket In which shall be entered
all civil causes brought TO said court
and he shall be entitled TO collect
and receive from the party bringing
the cause to said court, In addition
10 the fees herein provided, 0 fec Of
fifty cents for the entry Of each
civil cause on the docket Of said
court, @ fee Of fifty cents for the
entry Of any Judgment on said
docket and O further fee Of twenty.
I'VE cents for each execution issued
by him In civil causes from the
party In whose favor the execution
Is issued, which fees he shall be
entitled 10 demand and receive be.
fore he shall be required to enter
any cause or judgment on said
docket or issue execution. The clerk
shall collect two dollars for each
COPY made by him for any court.
The costs taxable In all criminal
cases shall DO for the complaint,
one dollar, for the warrant, fifty
cents, and for the subpoena,
twenty-five cents, for clerks fee,
Atty cents; for bench warrants, one
dollar, for the officers fees and the
witness fee, as provided BY law;
and, when said fee shall be collected
from the offender, they shall be paid
by the clerk Of said city court 70
the several persons respectively who
may be entitled to the same. In the
case OF conviction, costs shall be
paid by the accused, and costs
taxed and not paid by the accused
or otherwise shall be paid by the
city, except % herein provided. The
witness fees and oil bills for board
OF any prisoner shall be paid by the
clerk OF said city court. except az
hereinafter provided, out OF any
money In his hands"
Section ZOE
The other section cited, Section
202, Is as follows: Jury Trials In
Civil Actions. Costs and Fees
Whenever any action shall be pend
ing before said court In which the
matter IN demand shall exceed
twenty dollars In amount or value
and shall not exceed one hundred
dollars, o Jury Of six shall be sum.
moncd from the duly sworn Jurors
OF the city 10 try the same on mo-
ton OF either party made within
such time as the rules OF said
court shall prescribe, provided the
party 30 moving for o jury shall efls
ter into q recognizance with the
surety 10 the adverse party In such
sum as the court shall order, condis
toned for the payment OF oil costs
In case final Judgment be rendered
against him. In oil actions where
the matter demand shall not exceed
one hundred dollars, oil taxable
costs and fees, including clerk and
fury fees and compensation 10
Jurors, shall DO the same as In trials
before justices Of the peace. In oil
other civil cases the number OF
Jurors and oil taxable costs and fees
shall DO the same 90 In cases
brought 10 the superior court and In
oil cases formerly cognizable 70
equity the costs shall be at the dis
cretion OF the court, In the same
manner as In causes pending In the
superior court"
Propose Conference
Several attorneys suggested that O
committee representing the board OF
finance and the bar association
should assemble 10 discuss the ques-
ton. No official comment could be
obtained with regard 10 any meet.
Ing. however,