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66 How. Pr. 124

Hull v. Allen

New York Court of Common Pleas

Decided November 15, 1883

New York Court of Common Pleas · decided 1883-11-15

This action was brought t'o recover $13,214.87, á balance claimed for services rendered to the defendant, In the Matter of the Estate of John Hancock, and suits growing therefrom. The services commenced in 1874 and ended in the spring of 1883.

Decided 1883-11-15

Beach, J.

¶1— There is a question concerning the agreement between the parties for the plaintiff’s professional services materially affecting the right of recovery. This should be *125submitted to a jury, unless the items of plaintiff’s account are so numerous and of such a character as to render it unlikely that a jury could carry them in mind with the accuracy required for intelligent consideration and a just conclusion. The labors of the attorney were germane to one subject of litigation and rendered under one retainer, although his specific acts during a persistent and lengthy contention were numerous, still it by no means follows that each and everyone must be shown with its value. This is not indicated by the bill of particulars, where but one sum is affixed to all the items.' There seems to be no issue made upon the rendition of the services, but only upon their value, being the amount in gross demanded by the plaintiff.

¶2The trial, in my opinion, will not require the examination of a long account so as to call for a compulsory reference (Dittenhoefer agt. Lewis, 5 Daly, 72; Felt agt. Tiffany, 11 Hun, 62, and cases cited).

¶3Motion denied.

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