Bogue v. Moquin, No. Spbr-9412-28487 (Jan. 25, 1995)

1995 Conn. Super. Ct. 466-B
CourtConnecticut Superior Court
DecidedJanuary 25, 1995
DocketNo. SPBR-9412-28487
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1995 Conn. Super. Ct. 466-B (Bogue v. Moquin, No. Spbr-9412-28487 (Jan. 25, 1995)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Connecticut Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bogue v. Moquin, No. Spbr-9412-28487 (Jan. 25, 1995), 1995 Conn. Super. Ct. 466-B (Colo. Ct. App. 1995).

Opinion

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This case is unpublished as indicated by the issuing court.]MEMORANDUM OF DECISION MOTION TO DISMISS FACTS

This lawsuit seeking possession of residential premises located in Easton, Connecticut was commenced on November 28, 1994. The plaintiff alleged on or before October 23, 1994 an oral month to month lease was entered into for the premises with the rental payments due on the 23rd of each month. The plaintiff claims that the defendant failed to pay rent on the oral month to month lease on October 23, 1994 and served a Notice to Quit dated November 17, 1994. The reasons were set forth in the Notice to Quit; "You have failed to make the monthly payment in the amount of $1,650.00 due and owing on the 23rd day of October 1994 for the period from October 23, 1994 through November 22, 1994.

The defendant Katherine Moquin has filed a motion to CT Page 466-D dismiss filing four separate reasons. She claims the notice to quit is defective in that it improperly states a claim for attorney's fees. She further claims that the notice to quit served on her is unsigned therefore is not "a true copy" of the original signed notice to quit on file with the court. Additionally she claims that the notice to quit is invalid because it fails to name or distinguish between two adult males living at the premises both named Eugene Moquin, although there is only one Eugene Moquin named in the notice to quit and complaint. Finally she claims that the notice to quit is defective on the basis that it is equivocal and ambiguous by reason of the fact of a prior notice to quit served in a previous summary process action involving the same premises.

A previous summary process action was brought by Clifford P. Bogue and Kelly A. Bogue as against four defendants, Eugene Moquin, Katherine Moquin, Eugene Moquin, Jr. and John Paul Moquin. That lawsuit involved the same premises. The notice to quit possession was served on October 25, 1994. The notice to quit claimed termination of lease by lapse of time and non-payment of rent. Eugene Moquin filed a pro se appearance and CT Page 466-E a Motion to Dismiss on November 15, 1994. In that motion he alleged four reasons why the notice to quit was invalid. The defendant filed a supporting memorandum, without argument on the Motion to Dismiss the plaintiffs withdrew the entire action. The plaintiffs did not serve notice or otherwise notify the defendant that the prior notice to quit served on October 25, 1994 was void, terminated and/or of no further force and effect. Nor did the plaintiffs send any notice to the defendants reinstating the tenancy.

GENERAL APPLICABLE LAW

A motion to dismiss shall be used to assert the lack of jurisdiction of over the subject matter. Southport ManorConvalescent Center, Inc. v. Foley, 216 Conn. 11, 12, (1990). Jurisdiction over the subject matter cannot be waived or conferred by consent. Serrani v. Board of Ethics, 225 Conn. 305,308 (1993). When deciding a motion to dismiss the courts "inquiry usually does not extend to the merits of the case".Southport Manor Convalescent Center. Inc. v. Foley, supra 16. "The motion to dismiss . . . admits all well pleaded facts . . . the CT Page 466-F complaint being construed most favorably to the plaintiff."Duguay v. Hopkins, 191 Conn. 222, 227 (1983). Subject matter jurisdiction has been defined as "the power of the court to hear and determine cases of the general class to which the proceedings in questions belong." Grant v. Bassman 221 Conn. 465,470 (1992). Every presumption favoring jurisdiction shall be indulged. Connecticut Light Power Co. v. Costle, 179 Conn. 415,421 n. 3 (1980).

A defective notice to quit deprives the court of subject matter jurisdiction. Rosato v. Keller, 5 CLT 325 p. 18.Windsor Properties v. The Great Atlantic and Pacific TeaCo., Inc., 35 Conn. Sup. 297, 301 (1979). Marrinan v. Hammer,5 Conn. App. 101, 104 (1985). "As a condition precedent to a summary process action, a proper Notice to Quit is a jurisdictional necessity." Lampasona v. Jacobs, 209 Conn. 724,730 (1989).

THE UNSIGNED NOTICE TO QUIT IS INVALID

The defendant claims that the copy of the notice to quit CT Page 466-G served upon the defendants dated November 17, 1994 was unsigned. Despite an invitation from the court to the defendant, the defendant chose not to offer any evidence. "The motion to dismiss admits all facts which are well pleaded, invokes the existing record and must be decided upon that alone." Young v.Chase, 18 Conn. App. 85, 90 (1989). The defendant chose to offer no evidence and therefore the court cannot consider evidence outside the record. Standard Tallow Corp. v. Jowdy,190 Conn. 48, 53 (1985). The court has no evidence of the service of an unsigned copy notice to quit upon the defendant and therefore the motion to dismiss is denied on those grounds.

Despite the technical reason for the denial of this, the third ground of the defendant's motion to dismiss, the court will consider the issue on its merits as if the service on the defendants of an unsigned notice to quit was properly admitted into evidence. The defendant argues that C.G.S. § 47a-23(b) requires the notice to be signed and that C.G.S § 47a-23(c) requires that a copy of the notice be delivered to each lessee or occupant. The defendant is correct in that § 47a-23(b) states "also the date and place of signing notice" be set forth in the CT Page 466-H notice to quit. The defendant is incorrect in claiming that C.G.S. § 47a-23(c) require that the copy of the notice to quit that is served on the defendant must itself be originally signed. Section 47a-23(c) only requires that "a copy of such notice shall be delivered to each lessee or occupant." There appears to be no statutory requirement that a signed copy of the notice to quit either containing an original signature from the person who executed the notice to quit or a photocopy of the signed original notice to quit to be served on the lessee and/or occupant. "An endorsed copy of the notice to quit" is to be filed with the clerk's office in order for the plaintiff to obtain a judgment for failure to appear. Connecticut GeneralStatutes § 47a-26.

The Supreme Court has already rendered a decision in this area in 1917. The unsigned notice to quit served upon the defendant in that case did inform the tenant that the notice to quit came from his lessor for the specific premises and gave notice that the tenancy was being terminated. It established a date for the tenant to quit the possession of the premises and the name of the business and business address of the landlord. CT Page 466-I In all other regards it fairly appraised the defendant of the facts contained in the notice to quit. Molzon v. Carroll,91 Conn. 642

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Bluebook (online)
1995 Conn. Super. Ct. 466-B, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bogue-v-moquin-no-spbr-9412-28487-jan-25-1995-connsuperct-1995.