Court Opinion

ID: 9630602
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 10:15:19.240258+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:07:40.830265
License: Public Domain

JOSEPH, C. J.,
specially concurring.
I have no doubt that the majority’s analysis accurately reflects the weight of authority nationally and, specifically, in Oregon. Nonetheless, I have grave doubt that the weight of authority is good authority. In this instance I have no doubt that plaintiff retained her attorney to do the best he could for her, including negotiating a settlement that in the attorney’s judgment would be reasonable. I have no doubt that her attorney, in complete good faith, acted on that authority and represented actually or by implication to the other attorney that he was authorized to settle for $1,500. I believe that the rule should be that, in the absence of special circumstances, an attorney who is authorized to *139negotiate a settlement has authority to bind the client to a settlement that is just and reasonable.
The majority says in footnote 2:
«* * * onjy effec£ this decision need have is to encourage attorneys negotiating settlements to confirm their, or their opponents, actual extent of authority to bind their respective clients.”
Given that the settlement offeror-attorney here could not ethically contact the other attorney’s client, all he could have done was to ask the other attorney what his authority was. If the other attorney claimed authority that it turned out he did not have, the client would be off the hook and her attorney would be on it. I have great doubt as to whether that is a proper rule to apply in the practice of law.
I therefore concur in the result, because I think it is consistent with the present state of Oregon case law, but the present state of the law is unsatisfactory.