Degnan v. Morrow

2 Cal. App. 3d 358, 82 Cal. Rptr. 557
California Court of Appeal·Decided December 5, 1969·No. 25727·Published·Cited by 21 cases

Opinion

2 Cal.App.3d 358 (1969)
82 Cal. Rptr. 557

GEORGE DEGNAN, Plaintiff, Cross-defendant and Respondent,
v.
IRENE MORROW, Defendant, Cross-complainant and Appellant.

Docket No. 25727.

Court of Appeals of California, First District, Division One.

December 5, 1969.

*361 COUNSEL

Richard M. Frisk for Defendant, Cross-complainant and Appellant.

Francis W. Collins, Coll & Levy and David J. Levy for Plaintiff, Cross-defendant and Respondent.

OPINION

ELKINGTON, J.

In the action below respondent George Degnan by his complaint, and appellant Irene Morrow by cross-complaint, sought a dissolution, accounting, partition of certain partnership property, and incidental relief relating to a real estate development partnership existing between them.

*362 Morrow has appealed from a judgment which (1) orders an accounting, payment of partnership debts, payment of certain fees to Morrow for services, and makes certain other determinations relating to the partnership accounting and dissolution, and (2) adjudges that certain real property is owned "jointly and equally" by Degnan and Morrow, and that "the jointly owned real property is hereby partitioned equally one-half to [Degnan] and one-half to [Morrow], provided that if the parties are unable to agree upon an equal division, said jointly owned property shall be sold and the proceeds used to pay all debts and liabilities of the joint venture and the balance remaining to be divided one-half [to each party]." Although sought by both parties the judgment makes no provision for the dissolution of the partnership.

(1) On our own motion we have inquired into the appealability of the judgment. If it is not appealable we lack jurisdiction and it becomes our duty to dismiss the appeal, even though the parties wish it to be decided. (Collins v. Corse, 8 Cal.2d 123, 124 [64 P.2d 137]; David v. Goodman, 89 Cal. App.2d 162, 165 [200 P.2d 568]; Hughes v. De Mund, 70 Cal. App. 265, 267-268 [233 P. 93].)

(2) Although not so entitled, the judgment is clearly "interlocutory" in nature. It contemplates a later judicial resolution of disputed matters involved in the partnership accounting, a report and proceedings for confirmation thereof, and dissolution of the partnership, as well as further action in partition of the jointly owned real property based upon an agreement of the parties or a sale under direction of the court. Lyon v. Goss, 19 Cal.2d 659, 670 [123 P.2d 11], states the general criteria distinguishing "interlocutory" from "final" judgments as follows: "[I]t may be said that where no issue is left for future consideration except the fact of compliance or noncompliance with the terms of the first decree, that decree is final, but where anything further in the nature of the judicial action on the part of the court is essential to a final determination of the rights of the parties, the decree is interlocutory."

(3) Unless expressly authorized by law an appeal does not lie from an interlocutory judgment. (Bakewell v. Bakewell, 21 Cal.2d 224, 226-227 [130 P.2d 975].) The reason is the "one final judgment" rule, "`a fundamental principle of appellate practice in the United States. The theory is that piecemeal disposition and multiple appeals in a single action would be oppressive and costly, and that a review of intermediate rulings should await final disposition of the case.'" (Efron v. Kalmanovitz, 185 Cal. App.2d 149, 154 [8 Cal. Rptr. 107]; 3 Witkin, Cal. Procedure (1954) p. 2151.)

(4) There is no statutory authorization of an appeal from an interlocutory *363 judgment in a partnership dissolution and accounting suit. (See former Code Civ. Proc., § 963, now § 904.1.) And it has been consistently held by our appellate courts that such an appeal does not lie. (See Lacey v. Bertone, 33 Cal.2d 649, 653-654 [203 P.2d 755]; Bakewell v. Bakewell, supra, 21 Cal.2d 224, 227; Shirley v. Cook, 119 Cal. App.2d 220, 222 [259 P.2d 25]; Nesbitt v. Bruce Eells & Associates, 105 Cal. App.2d 370, 371-372 [233 P.2d 183]; Most Worshipful etc. Lodge v. Sons etc. Lodge, 91 Cal. App.2d 582, 586-588 [205 P.2d 722]; David v. Goodman, supra, 89 Cal. App.2d 162, 165-170.) (5) If a judgment in such an action orders an accounting it is necessarily interlocutory in nature. (Lacey v. Bertone, supra, pp. 653-654.) (6) Even though a judgment be final in form or designation, if further judicial action is required, it is nevertheless interlocutory and not appealable. (Lacey v. Bertone, supra, p. 653; Bakewell v. Bakewell, supra, pp. 227-228; Lyon v. Goss, supra, 19 Cal.2d 659, 670; Nesbitt v. Bruce, Eells & Associates, supra, p. 371.) (7) If the trial court in such a judgment improperly assumes to establish certain rights of the parties, or to make orders therein effective immediately, a final judgment is not created thereby. (Bakewell v. Bakewell, supra, 21 Cal.2d 224, 227-228.) (8) Failure, as here, to refer the accounting to a referee does not create a final judgment; a reservation of further jurisdiction over the accounting will be inferred. (Most Worshipful etc. Lodge v. Sons etc. Lodge, supra, 91 Cal. App.2d 582, 586-587.) And an appeal does not lie on the theory that the interlocutory judgment is final for purposes of appeal with further judicial orders appealable as special orders made after final judgment under former Code of Civil Procedure section 963, subdivision 2. (Most Worshipful etc. Lodge v. Sons etc. Lodge, supra, at p. 587; David v. Goodman, supra, 89 Cal. App.2d 162, 170.)

Our attention has been invited to the case of Zappettini v. Buckles, 167 Cal. 27 [138 P. 696], as supporting the appealability of a judgment ordering a partnership accounting. That case does appear to lend some comfort to such a contention but later cases have made it clear that it is of doubtful authority, at least as applied to the judgment before us. In Di Blasi v. Di Blasi, 209 Cal. 753, 754 [290 P. 7], it was held that if Zappettini could not be distinguished it "would have to be considered as modified to conform to the holdings" of later authority. (See also Hollar v. Saline Products, Inc., 3 Cal.2d 80, 82 [43 P.2d 273]; Gunder v. Gunder, 208 Cal. 559, 561 [282 P. 794]; Wesley N. Taylor Co. v. Russell, 194 Cal. App.2d 816, 822 [15 Cal. Rptr. 357]; Nesbitt v. Bruce Eells & Associates, supra, 105 Cal. App.2d 370, 372; Most Worshipful etc. Lodge v. Sons etc. Lodge, supra, 91 Cal. App.2d 582, 587; David v. Goodman, supra, 89 Cal. App.2d 162, 170; Learned v. Board of Education, 37 Cal. App.2d 561, 563 [99 P.2d 1100]; Security-First Nat. Bank v. Superior Court, 132 Cal. App. 683, 695 [23 P.2d 1055]; Batcher v. Hoeppner,<

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