HomeMy WebLinkAbout0336 _ _ _
___.__..__s._ ~ _.~._.v. _~.._..~_J..._ .~.f_
t~_:' 457926
IN CIRCUIT COURT, NINBTEBNTH~
JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR _
ST. LUCIE COUNTY FLORIDA.
CASE N0: 78-55~ CA
RIVERHOUSB CORPORATION, a
Florida corporation,
Plaintiff..- - _ _
-vs-
JOHN P. STANTON and FORT PIERCE
HOTEL, INC., a Florida corporation,
and FRANCES W. FENNIMORB,
Defendants.
- FINAL JUDGI~NT
TAXING COSTS AND ASSESSING ATTORNEY'S FEES
This cause came before the Court upon the Motion to Tax
Costs and Assess Attorney's Fees filed by JOHN P. STANTON,
the Defendant and Counterclaimant, in the above-captioned
matter. The parties stipulated that JOHN P. STANTON was i
entitled to his taxable costs in the amount of $27.75. On
the issue of the entitlement. of his attorney, VINCENT A.
G LLOYD, ESQUIRE, to a Court awarded attorney's fee, testimony
and argument were presented. VINCENT A. LLOYD testified that
t
he spent twenty-five (25) hours in defending the action
~ brought against his client, JOHN P. STANTON, and in prosecuting
` -his Counterclaim for specific performance. His-opinion as to
the reasonable value of his services was $2,500.00. N. RICHARD
SCHOPP, ESQUIRE, testified that on the basis of the time spent
and the complexity of the issues, that a reasonable attorney's
fee would be_$1,700.00: RIVERHOUSE CORPORATION did not present
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any rebuttal evidence on the amount of the attorney's fee
. ~ sought. RIVERHOUSE CORPORATION, through its attorney, argued
that the Defendant and Counterclaimant was not entitled to an
attorney's fee on the basis of the decision in Chesterfield
i Company v Ritzenheim, 350 So. 2nd 15, (4th DCA, 1977)_. That
case is distinguishable factuallq in that the lease in
Chesterfield, supra., provided that "the Lessee shall be liable
I to the Lessor for all costs, expenses, damages and attorney's
! i 804 J~~ PEE
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