Skinned by lawyers

Wednesday, 15 September 2010 00:00

September 14, 1843. Lawyers sometimes appear to be the only ones who profit from the law, as depicted in this item from the Kingston Herald, reprinted in the St. Catherines Journal, Upper Canada.

A suit was instituted in Chancery some time ago, to obtain possession of some property in Kingston. The costs of the suit amounted to above £100. An appeal was made against the decision, and it was reversed; but the costs of the appeal amounted to £234. Thus nearly half of the value of the property has already gone to the lawyers, and it will be well if the remainder do not follow.

Among the various reforms required by the country, none is more needed than a great reduction of the enormous costs of law suits; but there is little hope of effecting this, while there is such a phalanx of lawyers in the Assembly…

Propositions have been made for reducing the salaries of Government officers 25 to 50 per cent; will no one propose to reduce all law expenses 50 per cent? Or are the people like the eels of the Irish women-indifferent to skinning, because accustomed to it?