Case Name: Jessica Keene Taylor, Plaintiff, v. Talbot J. Taylor, Defendant
Court: New York Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1909-04
Citations: 63 Misc. 182
Docket Number: 
Parties: Jessica Keene Taylor, Plaintiff, v. Talbot J. Taylor, Defendant.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York Miscellaneous Reports
Volume: 63
Pages: 182–183

Head Matter:
Jessica Keene Taylor, Plaintiff, v. Talbot J. Taylor, Defendant.
(Supreme Court, New York Special Term,
April, 1909.)
Costs — Determination of right to and amount of costs — Application for and determination of right to costs — Necessity of order.
Where a referee to hear and determine reports in favor of plaintiff and, neither in his report and findings, nor in the interlocutory judgment confirming the same, is there any direction for the payment of costs, the allowance of which was in the discretion of the referee, they may not he allowed in the final judgment.
Motion for final Judgment.
Guggenheimer, Untermyer & Marshall, for plaintiff.
Jay & Candler, for defendant.

Opinion:
Giegerich, J.
The issues were referred to a referee to
hear, try and determine. The case was tried and the referee reported in favor of the plaintiff, but no direction for the payment of costs is contained either in his report and findings or in the interlocutory judgment confirming such report and findings. The plaintiff now applies for final judgment in a form which contains a provision for the payment of costs. The referee had the discretion to allow or disallow costs. Since he did not award any, the court at Special Term has no power to do so. Sabater v. Sabater, 7 App. Div. 70. See Stevens v. Weiss, 25 Misc. Rep. 457. In motions of this character the court cannot reverse, add to or subtract from the decision made by the referee, and no provision not authorized by the referee can be inserted in the judgment applied for. Jones v. Jones, 71 Hun, 519, 524; Sabater v. Sabater, supra,; Goldner v. Goldner, 49 App. Div. 395, 399; Code Civ. Pro., § 1774.
The provision as to costs has, therefore, been stricken out and as thus corrected the final judgment has been signed.
Ordered accordingly.