Snow v. Mikenas

We hold that, on the facts of these appeals, the Probate Court judge was entitled to inquire on his own into the reasonableness of contingent fee agreements between legatees or heirs and their attorneys and that the judge properly could require those attorneys to establish the reasonableness of the contingent fee agreements as a condition to their receipt of fees pursuant to those agreements.

Calas Mikenas died testate on December 1,1958. Under his will he gave the residue of his estate to Antanas Mikenas and Petras Mikenas, children of his deceased brother. Each was a resident of Lithuania in…