LAWYERS' CHARGES.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1318, 19 June 1883, Page 2

LAWYERS' CHARGES.

TO THI ■DITOI. Sir,—l was glad to observe that Judge, Macdonald and Mr Looke has recently “ been down ” on the lawyers on account of their heavy charges. As I have been a sufferer from an exorbitant bill of costs, 1 have devoted a little time to looking into the matter of legal charges. I find that under the Resident Magistrate’s Court Act the fees payable to a solicitor are, in addition, to moneys out of pocket, one guinea for a case up to £2O, ana three guineas over that amount at the discretion of the Court. The solicitor is bound to deliver a bill of costs to his client within one week after the hearing of the case, otherwise he cannot recover the amount. The Magistrate has power to tax the bill on application by the client, free of charge. In the Supreme Court a client can bargain with a solicitor to bring and conduct a case for a lump sum, and the latter cannot recover any extra charges. A judge can order the solicitor to refund in the event of the lump sum turning out to be an excessive charge. Under the Land Transfer Act, the following are the fees allowed to land brokers. Why should solicitors charge more? Fora memorandum of transfer, lease, mortgage, or encumbrance, 10s ; where the value is under £4OO ; transfer of mortgage or lease or surrender of lease, ss. A solicitor cannot sue for the amount of his account until it has been delivered one month. The charge for preparing an ordinary deed is Is 6d per folio, and Is folio fur engr ssing the saule. Every bill of costs should disclose the number of folios in any document. Last, and by no means least, a solicitor cannot charge his client 6s 8d every time the lattet calls on him. I had almost forgotten to add that if one sixth is taxed off a solicitor’s account, the solicitor has to pay the cost of taxation.—l am, &., A SUFFIRKR. P»S.—The title of “ barrister,” assumed by solicitors in most cases is an imp rtinent fiiece of presumption on the part of the at ter.