165 Mo. App. 226 | Mo. Ct. App. | 1912
(after stating the facts). — I. Defendant complains that, in the single declaration of law given by the trial court, the question of whether
It seems to us evident that the Legislature used the language in question to distinguish an attorney who appears from one who does not appear. As said in the language just quoted “an attorney of record” has a lien. There is a sound and urgent reason for this, as by limiting the lien to an attorney who appears of record the adverse party is advised, as he should be advised, with whom he may deal and whose lien rights he must observe. On the other hand there is no apparent good reason for arbitrarily denying* alien to one attorney rendering service merely because another had already acquired a lien for other services. Cases are quite common where two or more persons have liens on the same property without any special inconvenience arising, and two or more attorney’s liens are not apt to cause any greater inconvenience. This law does not deprive a defendant of any of his rights. It does not deprive him of the right to make a settlement, but in dealing with the plaintiff he must take cognizance of the existence of the attorney’s lien or liens and act accordingly. If such lien or liens-be ignored, he will be required to account to the attorney
So we hold that plaintiffs had a lien upon their client’s cause of action for their compensation and a clear right to recover damages from defendant for deforcing it, notwithstanding O’Connor may have been wrongfully discharged and may still retain his lien for compensation or a right to recover damages from defendant for deforcing it. Of course if there had been a conflict between the liens, as if the aggregate of the attorney’s claims exceeded the whole amount realized, O’Connor’s lien, if not lost or waived, would have priority over that of plaintiffs, but there is no such conflict and the question of priority is not involved; neither is the question of O’Con-nor’s right to a lien.
II. Defendant next contends that the amount of plaintiffs’ recovery should not have exceeded fifty per cent of what was left of the amount paid to the client after deducting O’Connor’s forty per cent. This contention is without merit. Plaintiffs had a lien for their compensation. The statute expressly provides that such compensation “is governed by agreement, express or implied.” Under the agreement in this case plaintiffs were clearly entitled to half the amount paid to their client in settlement without reference to O’Connor’s claim. For this half they had their lien.
The judgment is affirmed.