57 Colo. 471 | Colo. | 1914
delivered the opinion of the court.
Plaintiff in the court below, Katres, obtained a judgment against Nichols in 'the sum of $4,250.00 damages on account of injuries sustained from being run over by an automobile. The law firm of Orr, Robinett & Mason were plaintiff’s attorneys, and before the trial, filed notice of a claim for attorneys’ lien for their services on any judgment that might be obtained. Nichols brings the case here on error and asks for a supersedeas, and defendant in error has filed a motion.to dismiss the writ and proceeding, for the reason the judgment sought to be superseded has been settled. Plaintiff in error in resisting the .motion to dismiss, has set out in full, as an exhibit, the contract of settlement and release he made with Katres. This instrument, dated February 19, 1914, recites in substance that Katres, being desirous of terminating the lili
Orr, Bobinett & Mason refused to accept the $750.00 or any part thereof.
There is nothing for us to review, on account of the settlement. It is no longer a case of actual controversy involving substantial rights between litigants, and presents now only moot questions.of law in which we have no concern. The case no longer is'one of any practical importance. The parties have settled it, and we can grant neither any relief. Floyd v. Cochran, 24 Colo. 489, 52 Pac. 676; Knowles v. Harrington, 45 Colo. 346, 101 Pac. 403; Burns v. National Co., 47 Colo. 557, 108 Pac. 330; Hawthorne v. Hendrie, 50 Colo. 346, 116 Pac. 122; Lane v. Lyon, ante 166, 140 Pac. 197.
The only question remaining over which a dispute or legal controversy might arise, is the attorneys’ lien, its amount and enforcement, which controversy must be settled in the first instance in the lower court. Nichols, having settled the case with Katres, cannot now prosecute the writ of error for the purpose of defeating an
• The motion to dismiss the writ of error will be sustained.
Writ dismissed.
Decision en- banc.