Opinion ID: 1564508
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Expenses Allowed to Plaintiffs.

Text: John T. Clarke, a business man, assisted in preparing the case for trial. He testified he spent 110 days in that work; he appraised the value of his services at $40 a day, and testified that his services were much more expert than many lawyers could have given in this kind of work. The trial court has had extensive opportunity to judge of the character and value of the services Mr. Clarke renders in litigation. It is claimed the trial court is bound by Mr. Clarke's appraisal of his own services. If so, it is fortunate he did not appraise them at $400 a day. But it is well settled that a trial court is not bound to allow fees his own knowledge and experience tell him are exorbitant because an array of friendly experts testify to their reasonableness. Blackhurst v. Johnson (C. C. A. 8) 72 F.(2d) 644; Federal Oil Marketing Corp. v. Cravens (C. C. A. 8) 46 F.(2d) 938; Tracy v. Spitzer-Rorick Trust & Savings Bank (C. C. A. 8) 12 F.(2d) 755; McDougal v. Black Panther Oil & Gas Co. (C. C. A. 8) 277 F. 701. Neither plaintiffs nor Mr. Clarke has any reason to complain of an allowance of $1,250 for the services rendered in connection with the trial of this case; and the bondholders other than plaintiffs and Mr. Clarke have not appealed. We likewise are of opinion that the trial court was fair, if not generous, in the allowance of other expenses. Patiently he heard the evidence, examined the briefs, prepared findings of fact and conclusions of law. There is no reason to examine the lengthy items claimed, one by one. Before this suit was brought, plaintiffs brought another, but were so neglectful of it that the court dismissed it for want of prosecution. The court properly declined to load this case with the expenses of that one. Part of the items claimed were taxed as costs to the defendants. A claim for estimated stenographic expense was properly disallowed as too uncertain. The trial court noted that during the period in which the time and expenses of many trips to Wyoming were claimed against this fund, Mr. Clarke had much other litigation in Wyoming, and did not satisfactorily segregate the time and expenses properly chargeable to this fund. There is no suggestion in the record or many briefs filed of any reason why this court should interfere with the facts as found by the chancellor. Time and again, this court has stated the general rule that findings of fact of a chancellor will not be disturbed on appeal unless it appears that a serious mistake has been made. Standard Oil Co. of Colorado v. Standard Oil Co. (C. C. A. 10) 72 F.(2d) 524.