Court Opinion

ID: 9538758
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 07:41:12.862048+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:58:08.321132
License: Public Domain

On motion for attorney’s fee, and on objections to cost bill.
Before Brand*, Chief Justice, and Rossman, Latourette**, Warner and Toozb, Justices.
TOOZE, J.
This matter is now before us upon plaintiff’s motion for the allowance of an additional attorney’s fee as an incident to the affirmance by this court of the judgment of the trial court. The appeal was taken by the defendant insurance company. Our opinion affirming the judgment was handed down December 19, 1952, but we did not include therein any allowance *140as an attorney’s fee for appearance in this court. It should be stated, however, that no request therefor was made until the present motion was filed.
Two cases were before us on the appeal, one involving an insurance policy providing indemnity in the sum of $2,500, and the other involving a policy providing indemnity in the sum of $1,000. The two cases, though separate, were consolidated for the purposes of trial and for the purposes of appeal.
This matter is also before us upon certain objections of defendant to items contained in plaintiff’s cost bill.
We shall determine these questions in one opinion which shall be filed in the case involving the $2,500 insurance policy, although applicable to both eases.
With respect to the allowance of an attorney’s fee upon an appeal to this court by a defendant insurance company, § 101-134, OCLA, in part provides:
u * * * jf attorney fees are allowed as herein provided and on appeal to the supreme court by the defendant the judgment is affirmed the supreme court shall allow to the respondent such additional sum as the court shall adjudge reasonable as attorney fees of the respondent on such appeal.”
Attorney’s fees were allowed in each case in the trial court and were a part of the judgment from which defendant appealed. Under the foregoing statute plaintiff was entitled to the award of an additional sum as attorney’s fees in this court. It is suggested that the better practice is to incorporate a request therefor in respondent’s brief. We may fix such fee without the introduction of testimony, being governed in setting the amount by the facts which of necessity come to our attention in the examination of the case. Spicer v. Benefit Ass’n of Ry. Emp., 142 Or 574, 603, 17 P2d 1107, 21 P2d 187, 90 ALR 517.
*141On September 4,1952, the Oregon State Bar at its annual convention adopted an advisory schedule of minimum attorney’s fees and charges. The fee suggested for the appearance and brief of a respondent on appeal to the Supreme Court is the sum of $150, and the further sum of $100 for oral argument here. Although this court is in no sense bound by this action of the State Bar in the respects noted, nevertheless, what it has suggested is persuasive. We are of the opinion that plaintiff is entitled to the additional sum of $250 as a reasonable attorney’s fee on this appeal. Only one brief was filed and one oral argument made in connection with both cases. The plaintiff may, therefore, add that amount to the costs awarded him on appeal.
Defendant objects to an item of $123 set forth in plaintiff’s cost bill as the “cost of transcript”. The objection is sustained and the item stricken. Bell v. Spain et al., 110 Or 114, 134, 222 P 322, 223 P 235.
Defendant also objects to the item of $180.95 claimed by plaintiff as the cost of printing his brief. It is defendant’s contention that plaintiff is entitled to recover as costs for printing his brief the sum of $88 only, or $2 per page thereof. An examination of plaintiff’s brief shows that it comprises a total of 45 pages, including cover and index. Under Bule 19 of this court, as amended December 29,1949, and effective March 1, 1950, the sum of $2 per page is the maximum allowance for printing a brief. Plaintiff has asked us to waive the rule and allow the actual amount he was required to pay for his brief. We see no reason for so doing. Plaintiff is entitled to recover for this item the sum of $90, and no more.
The costs of plaintiff will be retaxed in accordance with this opinion.