DONALD H. BAILEY, APPELLANT,
v.
LINDA CAROL BAILEY AND STEPHEN R. KOONS, ESQ., APPELLEES
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A former husband appeals the denial of relief from judgment regarding an attorney's charging lien imposed against property he obtained in post-judgment dissolution proceedings. The court reversed, finding the trial court erred in granting the attorney's charging lien because the attorney failed to establish the required prerequisites under Florida law.
The court reversed, holding that the trial court erred in granting the charging lien because Koons failed to establish the required prerequisites: a contract for attorney's fees and an understanding that payment would be dependent upon or come from recovery. The court rejected Koons's argument for an equitable lien and found Bailey was entitled to relief based on misrepresentation regarding the legal requirements for the lien.
[1] Notice of a hearing sent to a party's counsel of record is sufficient, even if the party does not personally attend the hearing.
[2] An attorney's charging lien requires a contract for attorney's fees, either express or implied, and an understanding that payment is dependent upon or will come from the…
Previewing 2 of 5 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“certain prerequisites must be shown for the establishment of an attorney's charging lien. First, there must be a contract between the parties (the attorney and the client), either express or implied, for the payment of attorney's fees. The second requirement is there must be an understanding that the payment is either dependent upon recovery or that the payment will come from the recovery.”
Establishes the two-part test for imposing an attorney's charging lien under Florida law
Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceDonald Bailey's former attorney, Stephen Koons, sought to impose a charging lien against the Sherbrooke property that Bailey obtained in post-judgment…
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POLEN, Judge.
The former husband timely appeals from an order of the trial court denying relief from judgment pursuant to Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.540(b). Appellee Stephen R. Koons, appellant’s former attorney in certain post-judgment dissolution proceedings, sought to impose an attorney’s charging lien against a parcel of property, known as the Sherbrooke property, which appellant obtained in the post-judgment proceedings.
Taking appellant s second point first, that the motion for relief from judgment should have been granted because appellant allegedly did not receive notice of hearing regarding appellee’s claim, we find to be without merit. While it is clear that no one on behalf of appellant attended the hearing wherein the trial court granted appellee’s charging lien, the notice was clearly sent to appellant’s new counsel of record, L.L. Lavelle.
We find that the trial court erred, however, in granting appellee’s charging lien and, accordingly, we reverse. As set forth in Sinclair, Louis, Siegel, Heath, Nussbaum & Zavertnik, P.A. v. Baucom, 428 So. 2d 1383 (Fla.1983), certain prerequisites must be shown for the establishment of an attorney’s charging lien. First, there must be a contract between the parties (the attorney and the client), either express or implied, for the payment of attorney’s fees. The second requirement is there must be an understanding that the payment is either dependent upon recovery or that the payment will come from the recovery. In this case, the record does not reflect that such an agreement existed between appellant and appellee. Indeed, the appellee seems to suggest that even if these requirements were lacking, the court might nonetheless impose an equitable lien. We find this argument to be without merit, as appellee neither pled nor proved a legal basis for imposition of an equitable lien.
Finally, we address appellee’s argument that this court must deny relief because the appeal was taken from the trial court’s denial of the 1.540 motion, but there was no timely appeal from the original order granting the charging lien. We similarly find this argument to be without merit, as appellant based his motion, in part, upon misrepresentation — in this case misrepresentation by appellee as to the legal requirements for imposition of a charging lien — as contemplated by rule 1.540(b). Our finding that the trial court erred in failing to grant appellant’s 1.540(b) motion of necessity relates back to the underlying order from which relief was sought. Accordingly, we reverse the order of the trial court and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
DOWNEY and GARRETT, JJ., concur.
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Citator
Cited By
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LAW Offs. OF David H. Zoberg, P.A. v. Rosen, 684 So. 2d 828 (Fla. 3d DCA 1996)…Maland & Ross did after Zoberg was discharged, it follows that Zoberg was not entitled to a charging lien and the order of discharge is correct. See Lochner v. Monaco, Cardillo & Keith, P.A., 551 So. 2d 581, 583 (Fla. 2d DCA 1989); Bailey v. Bailey, 546 So. 2d 104, 105 (Fla. 4th DCA 1989); 4 Fla. Jur.2d Attorneys at Law § 392 (1994). Zoberg suggests that the result should be otherwise because Rosen was obliged to include Zoberg’s time in the post-offer-of-judgment motion for attorney’s fees. Rosen counters t…
Authorities Cited
- Sinclair v. Baucom, 428 So. 2d 1383 (Fla. 1983)