Board of Levee Commissioners v. Magee Aircraft Co.

77 So. 2d 239, 1955 La. App. LEXIS 593
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJanuary 3, 1955
DocketNo. 20525
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 77 So. 2d 239 (Board of Levee Commissioners v. Magee Aircraft Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Board of Levee Commissioners v. Magee Aircraft Co., 77 So. 2d 239, 1955 La. App. LEXIS 593 (La. Ct. App. 1955).

Opinion

REGAN, Judge.

Plaintiff, the Board of Levee Commissioners of the Orleans Levee District, as owner and lessor, hereinafter designated for the purpose of brevity as the Levee Board, instituted this suit against the defendant, Magee Aircraft Company, Inc., endeavoring to obtain possession of its property designated as the “Mitchell Hangar”, located in the New Orleans Airport.

Defendant responded thereto and pleaded the exception of vagueness, the want of authority or capacity on the part of plaintiff to institute this suit; and finally the exceptions of no cause or right of action. The exception of vagueness was overruled and the other exceptions were referred to the merits. Defendant then answered and, in substance, denied the allegations of the petition and asserted that plaintiff did not possess the authority, capacity or right to obtain possession of the hangar.

From a judgment in favor of plaintiff ordering defendant to vacate and surrender possession of the hangar, defendant has prosecuted this suspensive appeal.

The record reveals that on April 1, 1950, the defendant, Magee Aircraft Company, [241]*241Inc., then identified as Magee Reed Company, Inc., entered into a written contract of lease with the Orleans Airport Commission for the use of the Williams and Mitchell Hangars located in the Airport. The lease was for a term of one year at a monthly rental of $1,020.15, with an option to renew for two additional terms of one year or through March 31, 1953. The lease related .that the Orleans Airport Commission was “fully authorized and empowered to enter into this contract of lease” and it was signed on behalf of the Orleans Airport Commission by its Chairman, whose signature was attested to by its secretary. Beneath the foregoing signatures the lease bore the inscription “consented to and ratified by the- Board of Levee Commissioners of the Orleans Levee District” and it was then signed by the President thereof. Thereafter the lease reflected . the signatures of the President and Secretary of the tenant, Magee Reed Corporation. The lease, as we have said hereinabove, expired March 31, 1953. Prior thereto, or on February 3, 1953, defendant, through the medium of a letter addressed to the Orleans Airport Commission-, requested an exten-, sion or re-negotiation of the lease. In reply thereto they were informed by the Secretary of the Levee Board, in a letter dated February 19, 1953, that the Levee Board did not desire to enter into any new lease at this time, but would be pleased to continue defendant’s occupancy on a “month to month basis.” Defendant obviously acquiesced for it continued its occupancy thereof and payments of the monthly rental of $1020.15 were made to the New Orleans Airport.

On September 15, 1954, Charles P. Collins, the Manager of the New Orleans Airport, an employee of the Levee Board, addressed a written notice to the defendant requesting possession of Mitchell Hangar as of October 1, 1954, and also informed defendant that, the rental for the Williams Hangar would be $722.65 per month (the monthly rental for both hangars was $1,-020.15).

On September 27, 1954, defendant sent to the New Orleans Airport its check in the amount of $1,020.15. This check was returned by Collins, who stated in a letter addressed to the defendant, dated September 29, 1954 “I am returning your check in view of the fact that this covers the rent for both the Mitchell and Williams Hangars and the Orleans Levee Board had previously requested possession of the Mitchell Hangar for October 1, as per my letter of September 15, 1954.” The letter then requested defendant to mail a check for $722.65 representing rent for the Williams Hangar. On October 9, 1954, defendant addressed a letter to “The Board of Levee Commissioners, Orleans Levee- District, New Orleans Airport” and, under protest, enclosed its check for the amount of $722.-65 and stated “although our check covering the rent of the Mitchell Hangar for October was returned, I would like to say that we.have funds on deposit and will pay.same whenever the Levee Board is willing to accept.”

When defendant declined to surrender possession of the Mitchell Hangar, plaintiff, on October 5, 1954, filed a rule for possession against the defendant, which was dismissed as of non-suit on October 18, 1954, by the Court below, which was of the opinion “ * * * the President of the plaintiff Board in the absence of a resolution of the Board authorizing such action, has no power or authority to file suit or authorize the filing of suit on behalf of or in the name of the Board. * * * ”.

On October 19, 1954, plaintiff filed the present suit, which was authorized by a resolution of its Board adopted October 18, 1954. No further notice to vacate was given to defendant, plaintiff relying on the sufficiency of the notice of September 15, 1954.

Defendant predicated its defense of this suit both in the lower court and here on the exceptions which were briefly referred to hereinabove. Therefore, we shall consider these exceptions in their categorical order.

In connection with defendant’s exception of vagueness, counsel argues that it was entitled to know prior to trial:

[242]*242“(a) Was the lease written or verbal?
“(b) When was the lease executed?
“(c) Who executed the lease on lessor’s behalf?
“(d) Who executed the lease on lessee’s behalf?
“(e) What was the term of the lease?
“(f) Who gave notice to vacate to lessee?
“(g) How was notice to vacate given?”

This suit was instituted in conformity with LSA-R.S. 13:4918 which provides that an owner who desires possession of leased premises for any reason may obtain possession by giving notice in writing ten days before the expiration of the mouth, if the rental is on a monthly basis.

The record reflects that the written lease was confected on April 1, 1950, between the defendant and the Orleans Airport Commission by and with the consent of the plaintiff and that it expired on March 31, 1953. When defendant, in February of 1953, requested an extension or re-negotiation thereof, plaintiff refused and informed defendant that it would permit future occupancy of the hangars only on a “month to month basis.” This arrangement was obviously satisfactory to and approved by both parties since the defendant paid the monthly rental of $1,020.15 to the Manager of the New Orleans Airport, who was an employee of the Levee Board and the check for the rent was deposited to the account of the Levee Board.

To maintain a successful ejectment proceeding the essential requisites thereof are that the relation of landlord and tenant exist between the parties; the lease must have expired and proper notice to vacate must have been given to the lessee. All of the foregoing requisites were complied with as is reflected by the evidence adduced during the course of the trial, to-wit: the payment to and receipt by the Levee Board of the rent each month. The termination of the monthly rental of the hangars on September 15, 1954, by virtue of the notice addressed to defendant, which was more than ten days prior to the end of the current-month. Obviously the foregoing facts were in possession of the defendant prior to the trial and the judge below was correct in overruling the exception of vagueness.

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77 So. 2d 239, 1955 La. App. LEXIS 593, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/board-of-levee-commissioners-v-magee-aircraft-co-lactapp-1955.