Davis v. Stewart

154 P.2d 447, 67 Cal. App. 2d 415, 1944 Cal. App. LEXIS 1330
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 28, 1944
DocketCiv. No. 12733
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 154 P.2d 447 (Davis v. Stewart) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Davis v. Stewart, 154 P.2d 447, 67 Cal. App. 2d 415, 1944 Cal. App. LEXIS 1330 (Cal. Ct. App. 1944).

Opinion

STURTEVANT, J.

This is the third appeal in the above entitled action. (Davis v. Stewart, 31 Cal.App.2d 574 [88 P.2d 734] ; Davis v. Stewart, 53 Cal.App.2d 439 [127 P.2d 1014].) The facts are fully set forth in those decisions. After the remittitur went down in the case last mentioned, and on or about October 1, 1942, the defendant surrendered possession of the premises in dispute. Later the plaintiff filed a supplemental complaint asking for a final accounting of defendant’s stewardship from February 29, 1940, to October 1, 1942.

The plaintiff alleged and introduced proof to the effect that the defendant so negligently and carelessly operated said premises that he has failed to collect the rentals due therefrom. The trial court made findings on said issues in favor of the plaintiff as to rentals due from three several tenants.

The Graham Lumber Company, one of the tenants so in arrears, held a lease to one parcel. It was used by said company for a lumber yard. Immediately adjacent to that parcel is an unimproved tract about 100 feet square. Under an oral agreement the Graham Lumber Company occupied the additional ground as an overflow lumber yard during a period of three months and paid $25 per month. At the end of that [418]*418period it continued to occupy said lot but for the extended period defendant did not collect any rents from such tenant. Nor did the defendant attempt to evict said tenant. There is no evidence said oral agreement was ever cancelled. He now asserts that the ground was low, overflowed tidewater lands not suitable for a lumber yard. It does not appear that the ground was otherwise when said tenant entered thereon. In the absence of an express covenant or stipulation binding him so to do, the landlord is under no obligation to put the demised premises in any particular condition. (15 Cal.Jur. 690.) Again the defendant contends said lot was not occupied continuously. It is enough to say that there was evidence that there was at least some occupancy at all times and the finding to that effect may not be disturbed.

The other two tenants held leases, occupied parts of the premises, and paid the rentals set forth in their leases into a fund in a reputable bank for the benefit of the legal owner. As Mr. Davis was asserting rights to said moneys and Mr. Stewart was making cross demands, the other two tenants filed interpleader suits. The defendant made no attempt to bring said actions to trial. As to each of the three tenants the most that can be said is that there was some conflict in the evidence but there was evidence of the want of care of a reasonably prudent business man. The defendant was therefore liable for the uncollected rentals. (Murdock v. Clarke, 90 Cal. 427, 439 [27 P. 275].)

Basing his contention on the claim that said judgment was interlocutory the defendant asserts that the trial court erred in applying certain payments to payments of principal instead of applying said payments on interest which had accrued. (Civ. Code, § 1479.) To that contention there are two replies. The contention is an attempt to try again the issues which were tried on the first trial. The defendant had no right to do so. The judgment dated March 31, 1941, had become res judicata. (Carpenter v. Pacific Mut. L. Ins. Co., 13 Cal.2d 306, 315 [89 P.2d 637].) In the second place appellant does not in his brief set forth any part of the record showing any facts supporting his assertion. The record shows that at one time the defendant produced what he claimed to be a correct statement of the account as he claimed the facts warranted. That statement was not copied by the reporter. The exhibits were not brought up. There is nothing [419]*419in the record showing how payments were applied hy the trial court in framing the said judgment dated March 31, 1941. Nor is there a claim that during the last trial the trial court erred in not following the rule stated in section 1479 of the Civil Code.

As stated above the defendant contends that the judgment of March 31, 1941, that is the judgment before the court in Davis v. Stewart, 53 Cal.App.2d 439 [127 P.2d 1014], was final in part only and was interlocutory insofar as it purported to settle the account pleaded at that time. We find no merit in that contention. It involved contracts which clearly presented many severable demands. All demands which were fully matured at the time said action was commenced were completely adjudicated. By the terms of said record at that time nothing was left for further judicial action. It was therefore a final judgment. (Gunder v. Gunder, 208 Cal. 559 [282 P. 794].) After the remittitur went down the plaintiff filed a supplemental complaint presenting demands that accrued subsequent to the issues pleaded in the original complaint. That she had the right to do. (Higgins v. San Diego Savings Bank, 129 Cal. 184 [61 P. 943]; 1 C.J. 1114.) Prior to the filing of the supplemental complaint it could not be said that there were or would be further issues to be tried in said action. Under the foregoing circumstances we think the record does not show that the judgment dated March 31, 1941, was interlocutory in whole or in part.

The defendant claims he should have been credited with his costs on the first appeal. (Davis v. Stewart, 31 Cal.App.2d 574 [88 P.2d 734].) He admits said costs were not included in the judgment dated March 31, 1941, but he now seeks to have said costs included in his expenses. But the judgment last mentioned purported to cover the accounts down to and including February 29, 1940. The first decision was rendered March 31, 1939. When defendant’s cost bill was filed, and what it contained, is not shown except by an “Appendix” set forth at the end of defendant’s brief. It sets forth a statement which does not purport to be a copy of any part of the record. In the brief it is also stated that “The trial court denied defendant the right to introduce this statement and ordered it stricken out.” No reference is made to any part of the record. The plaintiff replies that the later judgment dated March 31, 1941, covered or should [420]*420have covered all expenditures prior to that date. Continuing she asserts that said judgment is res judicata as to such expenditures. (Scrimsher v. Reliance Rode Co., 1 Cal.App.2d 382, 393 [36 P.2d 688].) That reply we think is sound.

The defendant objects to rulings allowing the plaintiff costs. Finding No.

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Bluebook (online)
154 P.2d 447, 67 Cal. App. 2d 415, 1944 Cal. App. LEXIS 1330, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/davis-v-stewart-calctapp-1944.