Assembly Proceedings, February 1674/5. 467

An Act for Regulacon of Attorneys Fees

The Delegates of this present Assembly having taken into
Consideracon the Just Comp^lts of Severall of his Lord^pps good
people of this Province by the abuse of severall persons in this
province Practising as Attorneys Counsellors & Sollicitors at
Law in this Province by taking and exacting of excessive Fees
of their Clients whereby many of the good people of this Pro-
vince are much burthened and their causes much delayed and
by the great number of Attorneys whereby many unnecessary
and Troublesome Suites are raised & fomented doe Humbly
pray y^r Lopp that it may be enacted & be it therefore Enacted
by the Right Hon^ble the Lord Proper by and with the advice &
consent of the upper & Lower House of this present Gen^ll
Assembly and the Authority of the same that there be a cer-
taine number of Attorneys admitted nominated & Sworne by
his Excellency the Cap^t Gen^ll or other cheif Governor of this
Province for the time being to be Attorneys Councello^rs or
Sollicitors in the Pro— Chancery Court or other Court of Record
within this Province for the Following prosecuting defending
or Pleading of any accon or accons Suite or Suites in any the
said Courts and no person or persons shal be admitted to plead
prosecute and defend any Suite or Suites in any County Court
of this Province as Attorney Councellor or Solicitor but such
only as shall be thereunto appointed by the Comiss^rs of each
respective County Court & that all Attorneys so nominated
and appointed as aforesaid shall take the usuall Oath of At-
torney And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid
that no person or persons whatsoever now admitted & sworne
or hereafter to be admitted or sworne as afores^d shall at any
time hereafter directly or indirectly aske demand take or receive
of any of their Client or Clients whatsoever in mony goods
tobacco or any other Security to that purpose to be given above
the vallue of Foure hundred pounds of tobacco for any Fee
gratuity or Reward for the prosecuting Following defending
counselling advising or pleading of any one Cause or suite
whatsoever hereafter to be begunn prosecuted Followed
pleaded or defended in any of the Courts held before his
Lopps Justices of the Pro^ll Court (the Chancery Court only ex-
cepted) from the first Comencem^t of any Suite to the Finall de-
termination thereof and for the prosecuting pleading or De-
fending of any Suite in the Court of Chancery not exceeding
the Vallue of eight hundred pounds of Tobacco & that all per-
sons hereafter to be admitted & Sworne Attorneys in the
Severall & Respective County Courts shall not att any time
hereafter directly or indirectly aske demand take or receive of
any of their Client or Clients w^tsoever in money goods tobacco

P. R. O.

Colonial En-
try Book
No. 53