[2021] KEELRC 103 (KLR)
The court found that the certificate of costs issued by the taxing officer had not been set aside or altered and was not the subject of any dispute as to retainer. In accordance with Section 51(2) of the Advocates Act, the court held that it was proper to enter judgment for the sum certified in the certificate of...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2021] KEELRC 103 (KLR)
- Parties
- Applicant: Maina & Partners Advocates; Respondent: Kwale International Sugar Co. Ltd
- Court
- Employment and Labour Relations Court
- Court Station
- Employment and Labour Relations Court at Mombasa
- Jurisdiction
- Kenya
- Case Number
- Miscellaneous Application 13 of 2018
- Procedural Posture
- Miscellaneous Application / Ruling on Application to Adopt Certificate of Costs as Judgment
- Outcome
- application allowed with conditions
- Judges
- AK Nzei
- Legal Topics
- Advocate Client Costs, Taxation of Costs, Certificate of Costs, Entry of Judgment, Interest on Costs
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Maina & Partners Advocates
Applicant
Kwale International Sugar Co. Ltd
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Miscellaneous Application / Ruling on Application to Adopt Certificate of Costs as Judgment
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the certificate of costs issued by the taxing officer should be adopted as a judgment and decree of the court.
- 2 Whether interest should be awarded on the certified costs from the date of the certificate or ruling.
- 3 Whether execution should be stayed pending resolution of credit to be given to the respondent as per the taxing officer's ruling.
Ratio Decidendi
The court found that the certificate of costs issued by the taxing officer had not been set aside or altered and was not the subject of any dispute as to retainer. In accordance with Section 51(2) of the Advocates Act, the court held that it was proper to enter judgment for the sum certified in the certificate of costs. However, the court noted that the taxing officer had directed that credit be given to the respondent in respect of certain payments across twenty-four files, and therefore directed that execution of the decree be stayed until the issue of credit was resolved between the parties. Interest on the decretal sum was awarded at court rates from the date of the ruling until...
Court Disposition
application allowed with conditions
Orders
- Judgment is entered in favour of the applicant for KES 126,483.90 as certified by the taxing officer.
- Execution of the decree is stayed until the issue of credit to the respondent in respect of twenty-four files is resolved between the parties.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
35 paragraphs
REPUBLIC OF KENYA
IN THE EMPLOYMENT & LABOUR RELATIONS COURT
AT MOMBASA
MISC. APPLICATION NO. 13 OF 2018
MAINA & PARTNERS ADVOCATES.......................................APPLICANT
VERSUS
KWALE INTERNATIONAL SUGAR CO. LTD...................RESPONDENT
R U L I N G
1. Vide a Ruling shown to have been delivered on 2nd October 2018, this Court’s Deputy Registrar taxed the Advocate/Client Bill of Costs dated 7th March 2018 at ksh.126,483. 90.
2. The Deputy Registrar (taxing officer) stated in his Ruling:-
“in respect of the sum of ksh.1,725,000 paid to the claimant as legal fees, the same was paid for 24 matters under the series. As such the Respondent is given credit of the sum of ksh.1,750,000 of the total sum taxed on the bills.”
3. On 3rd September 2021, the Deputy Registrar, Hon. A.S. Lesootia, issued a Certificate of Costs for the taxed sum of kshs.126,483. 90
4. On 14th October 2021, the applicant filed a Notice of Motion dated 12th October 2021 seeking the following orders:-
a) that the Honourable Court be pleased to adopt the certificate of costs dated 2nd October 2018 and issued on 3rd September 2021 into a decree and judgment together with interest at 14% from 2nd October 2018 until payment in full.
b) that the costs of this application be awarded to the applicant.
That is the application before me, and the same is based on the supporting affidavit of KENNETH MAINA sworn on 12/10/2021. Copies of the Deputy Registrar’s said Ruling and the Certificate of Costs are annexed to the supporting affidavit.
5. The application is shown to have been served on the Respondent, kwale International Sugar Co. Ltd, on 29th October 2021 though record shows that the Respondent is represented in this matter by Lloyd & Partners Advocates. The Court was not told why the Respondent was served directly when it has counsel on record. Nevertheless, an Affidavit of Service sworn by Omambia Mososi Godfrey was belatedly filed in Court on 16th November 2021.
6. No documents have been filed in opposition to the application.
7. When the application came up for hearing on 16th November 2021, Mr. Maina appeared for the Applicant while Mr. Mathenge appeared for the Respondent. Mr. Mathenge told the Court that he is an in-house counsel in the Respondent company. He confirmed that the application had been served on the Respondent, and told the Court that the Respondent was not opposing the application. On his part, Mr. Maina urged me to allow the application as prayed.
8. The application is expressed to be brought under Section 51(2) of the Advocates Act and Order 11(3) of the Civil Procedure Rules. Section 51(2) of the Advocates Act provides:-
“the certificate of a taxing officer by whom any bill has been taxed shall, unless it is set aside or altered by the Court, be final as to the amount of costs covered thereby, and the Court may make such order in relation thereto as it thinks fit, including in a case where the retainer is not disputed, an order that judgment be entered for the sum certified to be due with costs.”
9. The taxing officer’s Certificate dated 2nd October 2018 and issued on 3rd September 2021 has neither been altered nor set aside by this Court, and has not been shown to be the subject of any dispute, save for the indication in the Deputy Registrar’s/Taxing Officer’s Ruling dated 2nd October 2018 to the effect that some credit is to be given to the Respondent herein in a series of some twenty four (24) files. (See paragraph 2 of this Ruling).
10. Consequently, judgment is hereby entered in the sum of ksh.126,483. 90 being the Applicant’s costs certified by the taxing officer vide the Certificate of Costs dated 2nd October 2018 and issued on 3rd September 2021.
11. I however direct that the decree shall not be executed against the Respondent until the issue of the credit ordered by the taxing officer to be given to the Respondent in a series of twenty four (24) files is sorted out between the Applicant and the Respondent.
12. Interest on the decretal sum shall be at Court rates, and shall be calculated from the date of this Ruling until payment in full.
DATED, SIGNED AND DELIVERED AT MOMBASA THIS 9TH DAY OF DECEMBER 2021
AGNES KITIKU NZEI
JUDGE
ORDER
In view of restrictions on physical Court operations occasioned by the COVID-19 Pandemic, this ruling has been delivered via Microsoft Teams Online Platform. A signed copy will be availed to each party upon payment of Court fees.
AGNES KITIKU NZEI
JUDGE
Appearance:
Mr. Otieno for Applicant
Mr. Weru Respondent