Cherry's Incorporated v. Sharpensteen

265 P. 90, 33 Ariz. 342, 1928 Ariz. LEXIS 206
Arizona Supreme Court·Decided March 5, 1928·No. Civil No. 2676.·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

ROSS, C. J.

— Cherry’s Incorporated brought this action of replevin against defendant, Sharpensteen, to recover the possession or value of a Hudson automobile. It appears that at Los Angeles, California, on October 6th, 1925, one Rose Moore bought the automobile from the J. K. Fonk Finance Company, on a contract conditioned that the title should remain in the seller until the purchase price of $990 was fully paid, such sum to be paid in monthly installments extending over a considerable period of time. On the same date the seller sold, assigned and transferred all its right, title and interest in and to the conditional contract of sale, and in and to all moneys due thereunder, and in and to the automobile, to Cherry’s Incorporated. The California law with reference to the registration of transfers of title of motor vehicles was complied with by filing the Rose Moore certificate of ownership with the division of motor vehicles.

Early in January of 1926 Rose Moore was driving the car from Los Angeles, California, to Yuma, Arizona, and when near the boundary line between the two states the car was turned over and damaged. By her direction it was towed into Yuma, Arizona, and left for repairs at defendant Sharpensteen’s garage. The hill for repairs was $491.90, which has not been paid. Mrs. Moore and her husband remained in Yuma, and the car was used by them when and as they pleased, hut when not in use was stored at defendant’s garage.

*344 The monthly payments of November and December, 1925, on the purchase price were made, but no other payments were made.

The plaintiff first learned that the car was in Yuma on May 2d, 1926, and on May 5th brought this action. It filed the conditional sales contract for record in Yuma county, Arizona, on May 11th, 1926.

In his answer the defendant claimed a lien against the automobile for repairs in the sum of $4-91.90, also that he was the owner thereof, the latter claim being based, as the offered evidence discloses, upon a foreclosure sale under his claim of lien. The last defense, however, was ruled out of the case on the ground that the proceedings thereunder were not in conformity with law.

The case was tried to a jury, and at the close of the evidence plaintiff moved for a directed verdict. The motion was denied, and the questions as to whether the plaintiff or the defendant was the owner of the car and its value were submitted under instructions to the jury. Those questions were by the jury’s verdict answered in favor of defendant, whereupon judgment for the value of the car, fixed by the jury at $500, was duly entered against plaintiff and the surety upon the replevin bond. The plaintiff appeals, and, while several errors are assigned, we think they can all be disposed of under the assignment based upon the court’s refusal to grant plaintiff’s motion for a directed verdict.

It is obvious defendant was not entitled to a verdict or judgment for the value of the car on the theory that it was his property, there being no evidence whatever showing, or tending to show, defendant was its owner. Such issue was expressly taken from the jury by the court in its instructions. The verdict of the jury, to the effect that the defendant was the owner of the car, can only be accounted for on the ground that one of the forms of *345 verdict handed to the jury permitted snch a finding. If the defendant was entitled to anything, it was a lien for the repairs and the right of possession until the lien was discharged. At the time the motion for directed verdict was made, by the ruling of the court and by the evidence all other questions were eliminated. At that time the question was whether the buyer of an automobile, on a conditional sales contract providing that the title should remain in the seller, had authority or power to contract with the garageman for the repairing of the automobile and subject the property to a lien for such repairs. The law governing in such matters is found in paragraph 3672, Civil Code of 1913, as amended by chapter 62, Laws of 1925, and, so far as material, reads as follows:

“ . . . And proprietors of garages, repair and service stations shall have a like lien upon all automobiles and motor vehicles of every kind, and upon all parts thereof, and machinery and accessories, placed with them, for labor, materials, repairs, additions, supplies, and storage, for the amount of all such charges against the same, when the cost of said charges shall have been agreed to by the person or persons furnishing same, and the person otoning the car receiving same; provided, that the foregoing lien shall not impair any other lien, chattel mortgage, or conditional sale, of record, at the time the labor, materials, repairs, additions, supplies and storage were commenced to be furnished.” (Italics ours.)

Cherry’s Incorporated did not know that defendant had repaired the car and did not know that it had been removed from California to Arizona, for some four months after these things had happened. There is an entire absence of any showing that the repairman and the owner of the car had any agreement, either before or after the repairs were made, or at all, as to their cost. Moore was not the owner of the car and under the terms of her agreement would not be until the purchase price was paid.

*346 The repairman’s right to a lien for material and work upon an automobile at the request of a conditional buyer is dependent upon the terms of the statute. Some of the statutes are construed as giving the purchaser under a conditional sales contract implied authority to have the ear repaired, and under such statutes the repairman’s lien may be enforced as against the owner. But where the statute provides that the repairman may have a lien for his material and labor only when employed by the owner of the automobile, such statutes are construed to require the consent of the owner. Of course, it is noticeable that there is a wide difference between the two kinds of statutes.

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Cherry's Incorporated v. Sharpensteen, 265 P. 90, 33 Ariz. 342, 1928 Ariz. LEXIS 206 (Ark. 1928).

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