Court Opinion

ID: 9778292
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 20:58:58.510548+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:33:07.014898
License: Public Domain

SEPARATE OPINION OF THE COURT
STEINFELD, Judge.
I concur in so much of the opinion of the court which holds that the judgment against the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Department of Corrections should be reversed. See discussion this subject 7 Am. Jur.2d 167, Attorneys at Law, § 207. However, I respectfully disagree with that part of the opinion which holds that fixing the amount of compensation for the attorney was improper.
In Jefferson County ex rel. Grauman v. Jefferson County Fiscal Court, 301 Ky. 405, 192 S.W.2d 185 (1946) is found the following statement:
“As said in 14 Am.Jur., Courts, § 22:
‘The power to appoint necessary attendants upon the court is inherent in the court in order to enable it to perform properly the duties delegated to it by the Constitution, and it cannot be doubted that judicial power includes the authority to select persons whose services may be required in judicial proceedings or who may be required to act as the assistants of the judges in the performance of their judicial functions, whether they are referees, receivers, attorneys, masters, commissioners, or judges and clerks of elections.’ ”
The law is now clear that all accused of crime are entitled to effective representation by counsel at all critical stages of the litigation. Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, 83 S.Ct. 792, 9 L.Ed.2d 799, 93 A.L.R. 2d 733 (1963); Kent v. United States, 383 U.S. 541, 86 S.Ct. 1045, 16 L.Ed.2d 84 (1966); Miranda v. State of Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694, 10 A.L.R.3rd 974 (1966) and Smith v. Commonwealth, Ky., 412 S.W.2d 256 (1967).
I deem it proper for the trial court in cases such as the one we have before us to determine the amount which that court considers reasonable compensation. “The trial court, where the services were performed in that court, has a large measure of discretion in fixing the reasonable value of legal services.” 7 Am.Jur.2d 183, Attorneys at Law, § 235. Roederer v. Schmitt, 258 Ky. 398, 80 S.W.2d 35 (1935) ; Dorman v. Baumlisberger, 271 Ky. 806, 113 S.W.2d 432 (1938). The judgment should not be reversed insofar as it fixes the *452amount of the attorneys fee. Attempts to collect from other sources are not now before us. I would affirm in part and reverse in part.
MONTGOMERY, J., concurs in this opinion.