An attorney and counselor shall have authority: 1. To bind his client in any of the steps of an action or proceeding by his agreement filed with the clerk, or entered upon the minutes of the court, and not otherwise; 2. To receive money claimed by his client in an action or proceeding during the pendency thereof, or after judgment, unless a revocation of his authority is filed, and upon the payment thereof, and not otherwise, to discharge the claim or acknowledge satisfaction of the judgment.
§ 283.Authority
Title 5. Persons Specially Invested With Ministerial Powers Relating to Courts of Justice · Chapter 1. Attorneys and Counselors at Law · Enacted 1872 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 283 authorizes a California attorney to bind a client through agreements filed with the clerk or entered on the minutes, and to receive and discharge money a client is owed in a pending case or after judgment, absent a filed revocation of that authority.
Full Text of § 283
Plain-English Summary
§ 283 is short, but it defines the outer edge of what a lawyer can do on a client’s behalf without asking permission for each step. An attorney can bind the client through an agreement — a stipulation, for instance — but only if it is filed with the clerk or entered on the court’s minutes. An agreement kept off the record does not bind the client under this section.
The attorney can also receive money the client is owed in a pending case or after judgment, and discharge the claim or acknowledge satisfaction once payment is made — unless the client has filed a revocation of that authority first. The paying party is entitled to rely on the attorney’s receipt and discharge unless a revocation is already on file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my lawyer settle my case without telling me, in California?
§ 283 lets an attorney bind a client to an agreement, but only if it is filed with the clerk or entered on the court’s minutes — an off-the-record deal does not bind the client under this section.
Can opposing counsel pay settlement money directly to my attorney?
Yes. § 283 lets an attorney receive money owed to the client during the case or after judgment, and discharge the claim on payment, unless the client has filed a revocation of that authority.
How does a client revoke their attorney’s authority to collect payment under § 283?
By filing a revocation. Once that revocation is on file, the attorney’s authority under § 283 to receive and discharge payment on the client’s behalf no longer applies.
Amendment History
Enacted 1872. Repealed and re-enacted Code Amdts 1880 ch 35 § 1.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
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