Case Name: SWIFT & COMPANY, PROSECUTOR, v. FRANK VON VOLKUM, DEFENDANT
Court: New Jersey Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: New Jersey
Decision Date: 1944-05-12
Citations: 131 N.J.L. 464
Docket Number: 
Parties: SWIFT & COMPANY, PROSECUTOR, v. FRANK VON VOLKUM, DEFENDANT.
Judges: 
Reporter: New Jersey Law Reports
Volume: 131
Pages: 464–465

Head Matter:
SWIFT & COMPANY, PROSECUTOR, v. FRANK VON VOLKUM, DEFENDANT.
Argued May 2, 1944
Decided May 12, 1944.
Before Justices Case, Bodine and Porter.
For the prosecutor, Edwards, Smith & Dawson (George Echelman).
For the defendant, David Roskein and John A. Laird.

Opinion:
The opinion of the court was delivered by
Bodine, J.
This is a workmen's compensation case. Frank Yon Volkum recovered compensation in the Bureau. The award was affirmed in the Court of Common Pleas. The employer then applied to a single justice for certiorari. This was denied. The application renewed before the court was likewise denied. The employee's counsel then sought and received a counsel fee in the Common Pleas Court for resisting the application for certiorari in the Supreme Court.
The pertinent statute is R. S. 34:15-67 as follows: "In cases where the judgment of the court of common pleas is reviewed by the supreme court by certiorari, the court of common jileas may allow a reasonable attorney fee to the party prevailing on the certiorari for his services on the certiorari, which fee shall be taxed in the costs and become a part of the final judgment in the cause, and may be recovered against the unsuccessful party." The italics ours. The fees are to counsel prevailing on certiorari and not to counsel who succeeds in opposing the issuance of the writ.
Before the writ issues there can be no review. The refusal of allocatur is a denial of review. Since there is no review no one can prevail in the review. Changes in statutes, however desirable, must be made by the legislature and not by the courts.
The judgment of the Court of Common Pleas is reversed, with costs.