Court Opinion

ID: 9620523
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 05:43:30.147563+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:04:51.319238
License: Public Domain

HENRIOD, Justice
(concurring in result) .
*99I concur in the result for but one reason. The statute says that “when the affidavit is made by a person other than the claimant he must set forth * * * the reason why it is not made by the claimant.” Mr. Wight, a well-known member of the Bar, filed the claim “as special counsel” for the claimant, “whose claim- is herewith presented.” Had he stated simply that the claimant did not file the claim because of nonresidence, for example, a meritorious reason may or may not have been given. But he would have given a reason. That is all that is necessary to satisfy the statute. The statute does not require a good or bad reason. That fact would be determinable in subsequent proceedings.
To this writer the statement that the claim was filed by Mr. Wight “as special counsel” for the claimant is tantamount to saying that the claimant did not file the claim because he had his attorney do it. Had a written power of attorney been attached, it would seem that the reason why the claimant did not file personally, would he apparent. I think the attorney-client relationship itself is such that when a lawyer swears to the fact he is “special counsel” for the claimant, there could be little or no reason to conclude other than that such assertion, reasonably interpreted, reflects as much of a reason why the claimant did not file the claim personally as would be the case where a written power of attorney had been annexed to the claim. I do not believe such conclusion over-dignifies the attorney-client relationship but simply emphasizes the quality and quantum of authority that traditionally and universally has been accepted with respect to the extended-personality attributes incident to such relationship.
Although not in issue oh this appeal, it is interesting to note that a claim was approved in this case, which was filed by “Russell B. Jex, Mgr. of Peoples Finance and Thrift,” and one was approved which was filed by “Allen M. Swan” as “attorney for Continental Casualty Company of Chicago, Illinois.”