A contingent fee is when an attorney charges dependent upon a successful outcome in the case. It is often agreed to be a percentage of the total recovery to the client. Such fee arrangements are often used in negligence cases and other civil actions but not for criminal defense or divorce actions.
Columbia is a city located primarily in Monroe County, Illinois, about 12 miles (19 km) south of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 7,922 at the 2000 census.