BAILII is celebrating 24 years of free online access to the law! Would you consider making a contribution?

No donation is too small. If every visitor before 31 December gives just £1, it will have a significant impact on BAILII's ability to continue providing free access to the law.
Thank you very much for your support!



BAILII [Home] [Databases] [World Law] [Multidatabase Search] [Help] [Feedback]

Scottish Court of Session Decisions


You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> Scottish Court of Session Decisions >> Black v. Mason [1881] ScotLR 18_450_1 (18 March 1881)
URL: http://www.bailii.org/scot/cases/ScotCS/1881/18SLR0450_1.html
Cite as: [1881] ScotLR 18_450_1, [1881] SLR 18_450_1

[New search] [Printable PDF version] [Help]


SCOTTISH_SLR_Court_of_Session

Page: 450

Court of Session Inner House First Division.

Friday, March 18. 1881.

18 SLR 450_1

Black

v.

Mason.

Subject_1Expenses
Subject_2Jury Trial
Subject_3Fees to Counsel.
Facts:

The usual rule in jury trials is to allow fifteen guineas to junior counsel for the first day, ten for the second, and seven for the third. Trial in which this rule was followed.

Headnote:

This was a note of objections to the Auditor's report in a jury trill, in which the defender has been successful. The trial related to an alleged right-of-way; it had lasted for three days, from 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. each day; and the question raised involved points of law as well as of fact. The fee which the defender sent to his senior counsel on the last day was fifteen guineas; to his junior he sent twenty, fifteen, and fifteen guineas on each day respectively. The Auditor taxed five guineas off the fee to the senior counsel, and reduced the junior's fees to fifteen, ten, and seven guineas. The defender then lodged this note of objections, and argued that the fees sent should be allowed, as the sitting each day had been so prolonged, and as the question was one of law as well as of fact.

The pursuer replied that the general rule was well recognised— Hubback v. North British Railway, June 25, 1864, 2 Macph. 1291; Neilson v. Barclay, July 19, 1870, 8 Macph. 1011; and that there was nothing in the present case to take it out of that rule.

Judgment:

At advising—

Lord President—As to the amount of fees to be allowed, I think that this has been just an ordinary jury trial, and therefore that we are bound to follow the rule laid down in the cases cited by Mr Campbell. The rule is very well understood in both Divisions of the Court, and I think it would be dangerous to interfere in any way with its application. I am for disallowing the objection.

Lord Deas, Lord Mure, and Lord Shand concurred.

The Court refused the note of objections.

Counsel:

Counsel for Objector (Defender)— D.-F. Kinnear, Q. C. Agent— A. Morison, S.S.C.

Counsel for Pursuer— R. V. Campbell. Agent— A. Wylie, W. S.

1881


BAILII: Copyright Policy | Disclaimers | Privacy Policy | Feedback | Donate to BAILII
URL: http://www.bailii.org/scot/cases/ScotCS/1881/18SLR0450_1.html