Case Name: PERRITT & LAWHON v. BUTLER (WERNER, Intervener)
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1932-05-04
Citations: 19 La. App. 570
Docket Number: No. 4072
Parties: PERRITT & LAWHON v. BUTLER (WERNER, Intervener)
Judges: Argued before STEPHENS, CULPEPPER and TALIAFERRO, JJ.
Reporter: Louisiana Court of Appeals Reports
Volume: 19
Pages: 570–572

Head Matter:
No. 4072
Second Circuit (Second Division)
PERRITT & LAWHON v. BUTLER (WERNER, Intervener)
(May 4, 1932. Opinion and Decree.)
Argued before STEPHENS, CULPEPPER and TALIAFERRO, JJ.
John T. Campbell and Coleman Lindsey, of Minden, attorneys for plaintiff, appellee.
R. F. Langston, of Minden, attorney for intervener, appellant.

Opinion:
TALIAFERRO, J.
Plaintiff brought suit against defendant to recover $80.39 on open account and tq enforce lien and privilege as furnisher of supplies and money on some 24 cords of pulp-wood, which was sequestered. *
Alex Werner intervened in the suit and asserted ownership of the sequestered wood. He alleged that some time prior to the seizure defendant sold and delivered said wood to him, and that it was in his possession when seized. He claims damages of $35 for attorney's fees and $15 for loss of time, etc., expended in protecting his rights.
Defendant, a colored man, did not answ'er either the main suit or intervention. The controversy is limited to plaintiff and intervener.
The lower court gave plaintiff judgment for the amount sued for, but set aside the sequestration, and condemned defendant for costs, excepting that incurred in taking down and transcribing the evidence.
Intervener was recognized as the owner of the sequestered pulp-wood, but was condemned to pay the fee of $40 for taking down and transcribing the testimony. His claim for damages was rejected. He has appealed.
In this court plaintiff has filed motion to dismiss the appeal on the ground that less than one hundred dollars is involved. Mover overlooks the fact that not only the value of the property in dispute but also the amount of damages sought is to be considered in determining the question of jurisdiction. The pulp-wood is shown to be worth over $75 and if we add to this the two items of alleged damages the total exceeds one hundred dollars. Hodge v. Mercantile Co., 105 La. 669, 30 So. 142.
Attorney's fee incurred by an intervener to have his property unlawfully seized restored to him is a proper element of damages on dissolution of a writ.
Dyke v. Walker, 5 La. Ann. 519; Gilkerson-Sloss Com. Co. v. Yale, 47 La. Ann. 690, 17 So. 244; Gilkerson-Sloss Com. Co. v. Baldwin, 47 La. Ann. 696, 17 So. 246; Chatman v. Wren & Turner, Inc., 11 La. App. 224, 123 So. 483.
If such fees are proper elements of damages in a contest involving illegal issuance of writs, it follows that the quantum of such fees is a part of the amount in dispute and properly finds place in any consideration of the court's jurisdiction ratione materiae.
The motion to dismiss is denied.