Court Opinion

ID: 9834296
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-01 23:28:06.417515+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:44:13.632192
License: Public Domain

On Motion for Rehearing.
In our original opinion, we held that the appellant was not entitled to recover the full amount sued for and that by reason thereof it was not entitled to recover the reasonable attorney’s fee provided for in article 5472b — 1, § 2 (Acts 1929, 41st Leg., 2d O. S., p. 154, c. 78). In this we were in error. An inspection of the record reveals that the appellant was allowed to recover in this court the full amount for which claim was made to the state highway department and it was therefore entitled to recover a reasonable attorney’s fee to be taxed as a part of the costs in the case.'
In the trial court, the appellant did not introduce any evidence showing what would oe a reasonable attorney’s fee for the claimant, and the question arises: Oan this court fix the amount of such fee without such evidence? In the ease of Mayer v. Templeton, 53 S. W. 68, 70 (writ refused), the Court of Civil Appeals had under consideration Revised Statutes 1925, article 4100, allowing a reasonable attorney’s fee to a garnishee. No fee was allowed in the trial court and no evidence introduced showing what would be a reasonable fee. The court said: “It is held that the court may fix such compensation without evidence, and we here mate the order th&t appellees be allowed $100 as such compensation, bo be paid by appellants.” The Supreme Court denied a writ of error in that case. In the case of Johnson v. Blanks, 68 Tex. 495, 4 S. W. 557, 558, the court in construing the same statute held that the trial court could, without evidence, fix the amount of the fee to be allowed the attorney for the garnishee. In that case the court said: “* * * It would certainly be competent for the court to demand evidence if it saw proper, and in some cases this might be necessary. But it is to be presumed that the court is sufficiently acquainted with the value of professional services in preparing a garnishee’s answer which is presented to it without hearing testimony.” The same holding was made in the case of Kansas City, M. & O. Ry. Co. v. Oates (Tex. Civ. App.) 185 S. W. 1014; Bohan v. Harris, 71 Mont. 495, 230 P. 586; Carr v. Bonthius, 79 Wash. 282, 140 P. 339; Spencer v. Collins, 156 Cal. 298, 104 P. 320, ,20 Ann. Cas. 49; Pearce v. Albright, 12 N. M. 202, 76 P. 286; Globe Indemnity Co. v. Sulpho-Saline Bath Co. (C. C. A.) 299 F. 219; Mills v. Lehigh Valley Ry. Co. (D. C.) 226 F. 812.
In American Can Co. v. Ladoga Canning Co. (C. C. A.) 44 F.(2d) 763, pages 765-772, it was held that where the trial court allowed an attorney’s fee and the case was afterwards appealed, the appellate court could allow an additional fee to cover the services rendered on appeal. The same holding was made in Davis v. Parrington (C. C. A.) 281 F. 10, and Louisville & N. Ry. Co. v. Dickerson (C. C. A.) 191 F. 705.
Any testimony that might have been introduced on the trial as to what would have been a reasonable attorney’s fee would have been in the nature of expert testimony, and, as such, would have been merely advisory and would not have been binding on the court. The witnesses in estimating the value of such services could not have taken into consideration the services afterwards rendered on appeal. The fee asked for in this ease is only $500. The judgment is for approximately $13,000. This court is familiar with the record, and we find that the fee asked for is not excessive, but is a reason- ' able fee within the contemplation of the statute. The judgment heretofore rendered herein is modified so as to allow the appellant an attorney’s fee of $500 to be taxed as a part of the costs.
In all other respects, the motions for rehearing filed herein by both the appellant and the appellees are overruled.