CHEAPER LAW.

Grey River Argus, 12 July 1922, Page 2

CHEAPER LAW.

IN QUEENSLAND. SCALE OF COSTS FIXED. I BRISBANE, July 1. ' The Attorney-General (Mr J. Muli lan, M.L.A.) states that an Order in ■ Council has now been issued making I rules of Court under the Supreme Court ■ Act of 1921. He said these rules of : Court would be published in a special. ■ j “Gazette’ tomorrow, and would come into force to-day, July 1. I Costs. ; The principal feature* of the new is the provision made for the limitation] 1 j of law costs in actions up to £5OO. A new schedule of costs has been made ' for such cases. All the fees fixed by, 1 this schedule are maximum fees. The taxing officer cannot exceed them, but j : may allow smaller fees. An action ! which could formerly have been J brought iu Ihe District Court can now Jbe brought in the .Supreme Court as 'cheaply as in the District Court. More Cover, in actions up to £5OO the profesI sional costs will in cases which last 1 one day be approximately 50 per cent, i less than formerly. s Under the schedule the solicitor’s fee for preparing the brief on a trial, -•where the sum claimed exceeds £2OO, but is under £5OO, is fixed at a maxi--1 mum of 25 guineas, while the barris--5 ter’s fee is fixed at a maximum of 20 L guineas. Where the sum claimed ex- - ceeds £l5O, but is under £2OO, the fees 1 are 16 and 15 guineas respectively; 1 where the sum claimed exceeds £lOO, but is under £l5O, the fees are 12 ■ guineas each. Where the claim does not exceed £lOO the maximum fee of J solicitor and barrister range from i •to 10 guineas. In addition to his fees for preparing for trial, the solicitor ! may be allowed a fee ranging from £1 t 1/ to £7/7/ for each day’s attendance at. the trial. He may also be allowed smaller fees in connection with the writ, statement of claim, del cnee, inspection, interrogatories, execution etc. Many items are grouped under one foe. i Two counsels may be allowed only where the- sum claimed exceeds £lO6 Even then the Judge must certify lor extra counsel. If the case lakes more . than one day. the barrister’s toe must e also be certified for by the Judge. A u barrister may be allowed £5/5/ a day and fares when he takes a cas-e in a ). town other than that in -which he prac.t tiscs. Solicitors who appear without barristers receive half the fees payable to barristers. Where retrial takes place the fees are reduced by a third.. The total costs of an action, exclusive of mileage and costs, is not to exceed £30(1, unless the Court or a Judge otherwise orders. If the action is of a kind within the jurisdiction of the Magistrate’s Court and the plaintiff recovers in the Supreme Court over £l6. but und-er £5O he will be entitled to costs only oi , the scale allowed in the Magistrate’:

Court, unless the Supreme Court or a Judge otherwise, orders. If a plaintiff recovers less than £lO in the Supreme Court he will not be -entitled to any costs unless the Supreme Court or a Judge otherwise orders. i On an appeal the solicitor is allowed from three to 12 guineas for preparing the appeal, plus five guineas for each day’s attendance at Court, and 4d per folio for engrossing the record and brief for the appeal Judges and counsv'l. The barrister is allowed from seven to 18 guineas fee on brief. U the appeal lasts more, than one day, the Court must certify for the costs of the extra day or days, which are fixed at a maximum of 12 guineas for each day. Where th-e amount involved in the appeal exceeds £lO6, two coun- ’ sei may be allowed, but only if. the ! Court so certifies. | Provision is also made for the linn'tation of the costs of appeals from a 'Magistrates’ Court. If the appeal i> !to a single Judge, the costs are limi;tcd to 25 guineas, where the amount 'involved exceeds £lOO, and to .1-8 guin-cas where it is £.lOO or less. The Court may certify for extra days at a maximum of 12 guineas. Where the appeal is to the Full Court the maximum fees are 40 and 25 guineas respectively, and the maximum for each extra day certified for is 15 guineas. Barristers’ clerks’ fees are totally abolished in all eases. . ■—s