13 Pa. Super. 157 | Pa. Super. Ct. | 1900
Opinion by
The plaintiff brought his action in assumpsit to recover an amount alleged to be due to him by reason of his alleged employment by the defendant to act as an expert witness in certain land damage proceedings before road reviewers and in the court of common pleas. The defendant was the attorney for the landowners, but the plaintiff claimed that at the time of his employment the defendant agreed to be personally responsible for and liable to him for the usual and customary charges for such services as he rendered. The appellant earnestly urges that the alleged promise to pay does not amount to any more than a guaranty, and there being no evidence that legal means had been exhausted against the principal, whose liability was guaranteed, there could not be any recovery. The plaintiff contended that the promise was personal and independent of tbe land owners, by reason of the case being what was called a speculative or contingent one.
There was sufficient evidence in the case to require its submission to the jury An attorney at law may make himself liable by a special promise for the compensation of an expert witness called to testify for the client, especially if there be evidence in the case to warrant the jury in believing that the attorney had a personal financial interest in the result of the trial.
The assignments of error are overruled and the judgment is affirmed.