Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel has asked a Pittsburgh federal judge to decide whether the firm's client or a litigation funding company is owed certain money from the client's underlying settlement.

Obermayer Rebmann filed the interpleader action in the Western District of Pennsylvania on Jan. 16 after its client informed the firm he didn't think the companies that funded his lawsuit were owed all or any of the funds.

The issue presented in Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel v. West is part of the reason some plaintiffs lawyers said they try to dissuade their clients from using litigation funding.