Utica Mutual Insurance v. Plante

The law is well settled in New Hampshire that there can be no recovery of counsel fees from the adverse party to a cause in the absence of statutory authorization, agreement between the parties, or some established exception. Jacques v. Company, 78 N. H. 248, 250. This is in accord with the law of most jurisdictions. Shapiro v. Magaziner, 418 Pa. 278; Child v. Lincoln Enterprises, Inc., 51 I11. App. 2d 76; 20 Am. Jur. 2d, Costs, s. 73, pp. 59, 60.

RSA 525:13 provides that a nominal attorney fee shall be allowed in bills of costs for an appearance by a defendant. “There is no statute which in…