Dehn v. Ward

279 P.2d 790, 130 Cal. App. 2d 680, 1955 Cal. App. LEXIS 1957
California Court of Appeal·Decided February 11, 1955·No. Civ. No. 20606·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

MOORE, P. J.

The progress of this action through the courts has been marked by unusual vicissitudes. Respondent sued for declaratory relief. At the conclusion of the trial, January 13, 1953, the court announced that a partnership of the parties had been effected in January 1952 and ordered an accounting to be had. In January 1954, no accounting having been made, the court resubmitted the matter and thereupon made and filed its findings which in substance appear in a footnote.* *

After finding a partnership and ordering an accounting, a year elapsed without action by appellant. If he had had any wish to abide by such finding and order, he could have done so readily for he had the business and the books under his control during that year and at all times prior thereto. The finding that the accounting had been abandoned [681] is justified by events that passed before the eyes of the judge. But appellant has raised no question as to such abandonment of the accounting. He seeks refuge behind the facts that there was a partnership and no accounting has been had.

From abundant evidence, it was found that at appellant’s request respondent loaned him $2,000 June 23, 1952. That sum was to be repaid by appellant when able to do so. He gave no security. He deposited it to the account of himself and wife. Respondent had no control over it. That was purely a loan and was not related to the previous payment by respondent in July 1951. By the agreement of the latter date, respondent was to have a 25 per cent interest in the partnership and business. Appellant never intimated that respondent owned more than the 25 per cent. That fact established that the $2,000 was not a gift or advance to the partnership. When the latter sum was paid, appellant promised to proceed with the incorporation of the business. Later he refused to do so. Not only did respondent loan the $2,000 to appellant, but, despite the finding of a partnership for a period, respondent made it clear to the court that at the time of such loan he believed himself to be an employee of appellant and the latter encouraged that conclusion by his failure to incorporate the partnership after having received the $2,000.

To avoid a multiplicity of lawsuits, the court determined all issues presented by the pleadings. Appellant’s indebtedness is one clear-cut issue so determined. Also, the amount of interest on the loan was fairly computed from the date of the loan June 23, 1952, to the day of the findings, January 26, 1954, at 7 per cent per annum. (Cal. Const., art. XX, § 22.)

While appellant contends error in the court’s failure to make an accounting, he has not explained Ms failure to render an accounting during the year following the court’s order for an accounting; or that such latter failure is due solely to his neglect or to his preference that all the facts be suppressed. At any rate, the necessity for the action was due to appellant’s refusal to deal fairly with respondent in their private transactions and the court’s failure to enter a judgment on an accounting is to be charged solely to the behavior of appellant. The court found that during the term of the partnership, appellant “drew funds from said business for his own personal use that were required for the payment of the obligations of said business . . . and that said [682] drawings decreased the capital and assets of said business and impaired said capital and assets; and . . . were in excess of the net profits of said business; and . . . that the capital of said business was impaired and threatened with complete loss and destruction by reason thereof.” From such finding it requires no Einstein to compute that any sort of an accounting would impose upon appellant the burden of paying to respondent large sums of money in addition to the amount of the personal debt arising from the loan and from respondent’s services. If appellant could not benefit by a reversal, it would be sheer folly to remand this action at his behest. The findings are in no respect unfair or arbitrary. They are justified by abundant evidence. The conclusions follow logically from legal reasoning. (Crawford v. Southern Pac. Co., 3 Cal.2d 427, 429 [45 P.2d 183].)

Judgment affirmed.

McComb, J., and Fox, J., concurred.

Footnotes

II. July 23, 1951, defendant operated an automatic Venetian blind laundry on West Imperial Highway in Los Angeles County. On that day he executed a written agreement with plaintiff to the effect that plaintiff would advance $3500 to defendant as a loan, without interest for eight months from date; that defendant concurrently executed his note for such amount payable within eight months to plaintiff; the proceeds to be used for the liquidation of certain outstanding debts of the business, the balance to be used for the advancement of the business, except the sum of $500 which sum should be used by defendant as he deemed fit and proper, and plaintiff should have an option for six months from July 23, 1951, to purchase 25 per cent interest as a copartner, said option to be exercised by plaintiff by his surrender of the note to defendant and by his giving defendant notice of plaintiff’s intent to assume the relationship of a copartner with defendant in said business at any time within said six months; that in the event plaintiff did not exercise said option within said period, defendant would pay said note in accordance with its terms; that no further liability would attach to either party; that plaintiff could engage in daily activity in the operation of said business during said six months’ period as an employee of defendant and receive a weekly salary to be mutually agreed upon; that upon the exercise of said option by plaintiff, formal articles of copartnership would be drawn and executed embodying all the terms and conditions of the partnership agreeable to said parties.

III. Pursuant to said agreement, plaintiff advanced $3000 to defendant, July 23, 1951; appellant accepted it and delivered Ms note for $3,500 to plaintiff; a portion of said $3000 was used by defendant to liquidate certain debts of the business; plaintiff continued to be actively engaged in the operation of said business as defendant’s employee until January 23, 1952 and was paid a salary of $75 a week, except $225 which remains unpaid.

IV. WitMn the period of six months provided in said agreement, plaintiff served written notice upon defendant who was thereby advised that in accordance with their July agreement plaintiff desired to exercise [683] said option and become a partner with 25 per cent interest in the business; that said notice was a notice of intent until formal written articles could be executed; that said note for $3500 was thereupon returned to defendant with said notice.

V. June 23, 1952, plaintiff, at defendant’s request, advanced $2000 as a loan to defendant for use in the business; said sum was used by defendant in payment of certain debts of the business.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Dehn v. Ward, 279 P.2d 790, 130 Cal. App. 2d 680, 1955 Cal. App. LEXIS 1957 (Cal. Ct. App. 1955).

279 P.2d 790 (Dehn v. Ward) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Estreito v. Citirealty Corp. (In Re Estreito)
111 B.R. 294 (Ninth Circuit, 1990)
Armstrong v. Picquelle
157 Cal. App. 3d 122 (California Court of Appeal, 1984)