Bell v. Dennis

144 P.2d 938, 158 Kan. 35, 1944 Kan. LEXIS 64
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedJanuary 22, 1944
DocketNo. 35,986
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 144 P.2d 938 (Bell v. Dennis) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bell v. Dennis, 144 P.2d 938, 158 Kan. 35, 1944 Kan. LEXIS 64 (kan 1944).

Opinions

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Parker, J.:

This was an action for forcible detainer originally commenced in the city court of Wichita for the possession of a certain residence property located' in that city and for one month’s rent alleged to be due. The plaintiff recovered in the city court and on appeal in the district court, from which judgment the defendant appeals.

From July, 1936, until January 22,1943, the date it was purchased by plaintiff, the defendant made her home in the property referred to under an oral agreement with.the then owner as a tenant from month to month. On January 22 the plaintiff purchased such property under a contract for deed subject to the tenancy rights of defendant who continued to occupy the premises. Subsequently, there were some unsatisfactory negotiations about payment of rent and plaintiff, who claimed the rent due on February 11, 1943, had not been paid, served on defendant a notice terminating the tenancy and demanding surrender of the premises for nonpayment of rent, a statement thereof being included. Thereafter, defendant having failed to surrender possession within three days as provided for in such notice, this action for forcible detainer was instituted.

[36]*36In district- court a jury was waived and the cause was tried to the court on the pleadings and the evidence adduced by the respective parties. So far as the record discloses the only' pleading available for consideration by the trial court was plaintiff’s verified bill of particulars, which in substance alleged: Plaintiff was the owner of the property sued for which was occupied by defendant as his tenant and had served her with a notice to quit for nonpayment of rent due on February 11, 1943, a copy of which was attached to and 'made a part thereof; although more than three days had elapsed since service of such notice, defendant had failed to pay rent or deliver possession of the premises and now held unlawful possession thereof; at the time the notice to quit was served on defendant plaintiff mailed a copy of such notice-to the O. P. A. (Office of Price Administration) at its local office in Wichita, Kan. As for the evidence, although there was some dispute in the testimony, it can be said it was sufficient to justify the trial court-, which found in favor of plaintiff for restitution of the premises and the rent claimed to be due, in concluding the plaintiff had established the allegations of fact set forth in his bill of particulars. A motion for new trial and later a supplemental motion for new trial on the ground of newly discovered evidence were filed by defendant. Both motions were overruled and judgment was rendered in accordance with the trial court’s findings. Defendant then perfected her appeal.

Before going directly to the legal questions determinative of the main issue raised on this appeal it might be helpful to refer briefly to general rules applicable to the institution and maintenance of cases of forcible entry and detainer as that term is commonly used in textbooks, law treatises and the decisions. Proceedings in forcible entry and detáiner are based upon and by modern legislation have been evolved from the English forcible entry and detainer which was purely a criminal measure. Although originating from such source the action is no longer a criminal but a civil proceeding specifically regulated by statute and summary in its nature and character. Since its enactment our statute (G. S. 1935, art. 13, ch. 61) has been so recognized by this court in its earliest and in its most recent decisions. (See Soden v. Roth, 9 Kan. App. 826, 61 Pac. 500; Hale v. Brown, 119 Kan. 303, 239 Pac. 963, and McHenry v. Hubbard, 156 Kan. 415, 420, 134 P. 2d 1107.)

In late years actions predicated on “forcible entry” of real estate, are not as frequent as those based upon “forcible detainer” thereof [37]*37and rare indeed is a proceeding to which both of such terms apply. However, it can be said that irrespective of what source they spring from, or the factual elements involved, rules governing the institution and maintenance of “forcible-entry-and-detainer” cases generally, including questions of procedure, apply to all such actions with equal force and effect. The general rule is well stated in 36 C. J. S. 1171, § 31, as follows:

“Since, . . . , the action of forcible entry and detainer is -a special statutory proceeding, summary in its nature,-and in derogation of the common law, it follows that the statute conferring jurisdiction must be strictly pursued in the method of procedure prescribed 'by it, or the jurisdiction will fail to attach, and the proceeding will be coram non judice and void, unless the defects in procedure may be, and are, waived. There is no presumption in favor of the record. It must appear that the statutory remedy was strictly pursued and the facts which give jurisdiction must appear affirmatively on the face of the record, otherwise the proceedings will be not merely voidable, but absolutely void, as being, coram non judice.”

To the same effect is 22 Am. Jur. 934, § 35.

With specific reference to our own state it must be conceded our decisions are in accord with the general rule announced in the preceding quotation. See Stuller v. Sparks, 51 Kan. 19, 31 Pac. 301, wherein it was held:

“A plaintiff cannot maintain an action of forcible entry and detainer, if the three-days notice to leave the premises, prescribed by § 161 of the justices act, is not given, and the plaintiff, to obtain judgment in such a case must affirmatively show the service of the notice.”

Also, Kellogg v. Lewis, 28 Kan. 535, holding that:

“To maintain an action of forcible detainer, the plaintiff must have a perfect right of possession at the time the notice to quit is given.” (Syl. ¶[ 1.)

Another principle of law, peculiarly applicable to special statutory proceedings summary in character and nature, deals with the existence of conditions precedent to the institution or maintenance of such actions. This rule is that unless excused or waived conditions precedent to the maintenance of an action, whether arising from statute, agreement, or circumstances, must ordinarily be performed or complied with before the action may be instituted. (See 1 C. J. S. 1066, § 25, and 1 Am. Jur. 426, § 34!)

Under our statute, G. S. 1935, 61-1304, one of the conditions precedent to the institution and maintenance of a forcible detainer action is the service on the adverse party of a notice to quit, which notice must be served at least three days before the commencement [38]*38of such action, unless it is brought for the purpose of ejecting a tenant' for the nonpayment of rent, in which event, no notice is required if a statement is included in the notice terminating the tenancy that unless the tenant shall vacate in the time provided therein suit will be brought to eject him. So in a case where a party seeks to terminate a tenancy for nonpayment of rent, the notice to quit— in the instant case a three-day notice in writing as required by G. S. 1935, 67-508' — must be given, and service of such notice as required is a condition precedent to the institution of a forcible detainer action. Such was the effect of our decision in Stuller v. Sparks, supra.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
144 P.2d 938, 158 Kan. 35, 1944 Kan. LEXIS 64, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bell-v-dennis-kan-1944.