Court Opinion

ID: 9448215
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 23:26:06.829143+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:31:19.822956
License: Public Domain

LEWIS, Circuit Judge.
I concur. The Supreme Court of the United States in remanding this case for further consideration in the light of Southard v. MacDonald, Okl., 360 P.2d 940 makes it manifest that the issues are dependent upon the application of state law. And the opinion of the Supreme Court of Oklahoma in Southard indicates that there is no factual element of reasonableness necessarily inherent in the searching scrutiny required in determining the validity of a contingent fee contract made between attorney and client as authorized by Title 5 O.S.A. § 7. I interpret Southard as negativing the earlier language contained in Haunstein v. McCalister, 172 Okl. 613, 46 P.2d 552, 556, wherein it was stated that an attorney, having entered into a contingent fee contract with his client, shown to be free from fraud, still “is not entitled to recover more than reasonable compensation for his services, regardless of the contract price.” (Emphasis added.) In Southard it is said, 360 P.2d 940 at pages 945-946: “Since we hold that the deed and contract are binding, there is no necessity to discuss the value of the service on quantum meruit.” And it follows, as stated in the main opinion, that the issue of the validity of the contract is one Tor the court to determine and under applicable state law. It also follows, since the trial court has summarily determined that the subject contract is valid and binding, that our present review must search the correctness of that holding.
The trial court rendered summary judgment after reading the depositions of the plaintiff, defendant and a third person present when the questioned contract was executed. The testimony therein contained shows a substantial agreement of the witnesses as to the circumstances preceding and attending the execution of the contract. Agreement upon these circumstances, however, does not preclude the finding of varying but permissible inferences from those circumstances. To find an ultimate fact by this method is trial by affidavit and not proper under Rule 56, Fed.Rules Civ.Proc. 28 U.S.C.A. I agree that the case should be remanded for trial before the court.