Grant v. Weatherholt

266 P.2d 185, 123 Cal. App. 2d 34, 1954 Cal. App. LEXIS 1139
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 3, 1954
DocketCiv. 19261
StatusPublished
Cited by50 cases

This text of 266 P.2d 185 (Grant v. Weatherholt) 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
Grant v. Weatherholt, 266 P.2d 185, 123 Cal. App. 2d 34, 1954 Cal. App. LEXIS 1139 (Cal. Ct. App. 1954).

Opinion

SHINN, P. J.

On April 1, 1946, Raymond D. Herzog held a contract for the purchase of 325 acres of mountain land in Palm Springs, Riverside County, for the sum of $25,000. On that date he entered into an agreement with T. B. Weatherholt under and by virtue of which the two became joint adventurers in the purchase of the property, each to have a half interest in the venture. The agreement provided that the purchase price would be raised through a loan on the property or through a syndicate to be organized with capital of $75,000. The property was to be subdivided, improved and sold and it was agreed that the parties would operate as one in the future development and handling of said property. The contract read: “It is finally agreed that both parties hereto will cooperate to the fullest extent for the mutual benefit of both parties in interest.” The syndicate was not formed. Mr. Weatherholt drew a check for $25,000 upon an account in which his money and the money of his wife, Annette Weatherholt, was deposited. The money was used to acquire the property, title being taken in the name of Raymond D. Herzog and Carrie B. Herzog, his wife, who signed a note for $25,000, at 6 per cent interest payable $750 or more each third month commencing July 15, 1946, in favor of Annette Weatherholt and they executed a trust deed on the property to a bank as trustee to secure the note. The trust deed was placed of record April 28, 1946. On or about June 18, 1946, Herzog and Weatherholt caused to be organized a corporation, the Palm Springs Holding Corporation, the stock of which was issued, 1,248 shares to Mrs. Weatherholt, 1,248 shares to Mrs. Herzog, and one additional share each to Mrs. Weatherholt, Mrs. Herzog, Mr. Weatherholt and Raymond D. Herzog. Mr. Herzog was made president, and Mr. Weatherholt secretary, of the corporation.

In the month of January, 1947, Herzog approached plaintiff for the purpose of securing money for development of the property and he represented to plaintiff that title to the property was free and clear of encumbrances. Plaintiff agreed to advance, $25,000 for improvement work and on February 7, 1947, plaintiff and Ronald V.. Herzog, son of *38 Raymond D. Herzog, entered into a contract with the corporation by which they contracted to do improvement work, and were to advance $25,000 to be used therein; they were to be paid the cost of the work plus 15 per cent, a portion of which was to be applied toward the purchase of a home-site by each of the contractors. Grant and Ronald Y. Herzog were to receive salaries of $500 each per month. Grant advanced in money and services in excess of $31,000. The parties ran out of money and the enterprise came to a standstill. " In the meantime nothing had been paid upon account of the note and trust deed held by Mrs. Weatherholt, and on or about July 17, 1951, Notice of Default and Intention to Sell under the trust deed was given on behalf of Mrs. Weatherholt. It was then that Grant first learned that the property was encumbered by a $25,000 trust deed. Raymond D. Herzog died July 17, 1950, and his widow, Carrie Herzog, was appointed administratrix of his estate. This action was brought August 17, 1951.

The complaint sought damages for fraud against Raymond D. Herzog, his wife, the corporation and Mr. and Mrs. Weatherholt. The alleged fraud consisted of the representation made by Herzog, senior, that the property was unencumbered. It was alleged that the representation was made by Herzog as agent for the other parties, that plaintiff was deceived thereby, and otherwise would not have entered into a contract with the corporation or advanced any money. It was also alleged that the $25,000 advanced for purchase of the property was community funds of Mr. and Mrs. Weatherholt; that Mr. Weatherholt acted throughout as the authorized agent of his wife; that he also fraudulently concealed the existence of the trust deed; that Mrs. Herzog and Mrs. Weatherholt were joint adventurers in the enterprise; that -they fraudulently concealed from plaintiff the existence of the trust deed, and plaintiff sought relief through cancellation of the trust deed or a judgment subordinating the lien of the trust deed to such amount as might be found due plaintiff. Mrs. Herzog filed a cross-complaint for declaratory relief, an injunction against the sale of the property under the trust deed, and for an accounting of the joint venture, and she also sought cancellation of the note and trust deed. She alleged that Mr. and Mrs. Weatherholt were joint adventurers in the enterprise and that the $25,000 advanced for the purchase of the property was to be paid only out of proceeds of sale of the property.

*39 When the action came on for trial a jury was empaneled and the court ruled that the legal issues would be submitted to the jury and that the court would determine the remaining equitable issues. At the close of the evidence plaintiff filed a second amendment to his first amended complaint in which he alleged that the defendants wilfully and intentionally breached their contract with him in that they failed to bring about sales of property or otherwise secure adequate financing for the development thereof to plaintiff’s damage in the sum of $47,912.23.

The jury returned a verdict in favor of plaintiff against T. E. Weatherholt, Annette Weatherholt, Palm Springs Holding Corporation and Carrie E. Herzog individually, and as administratrix of the estate of Raymond D. Herzog, deceased, in the sum of $38,000, together with interest thereon from February 7, 1947.

After the verdict was returned the court made findings upon all the issues in the case and entered a judgment notwithstanding the verdict in favor of the plaintiff for $38,000 and interest against Palm Springs Holding Corporation, Carrie E. Herzog as administratrix of the estate of Raymond D. Herzog, and in favor of Carrie E. Herzog, individually, T. E. Weatherholt and Annette Weatherholt upon the complaint. Judgment was also entered against Carrie Herzog, individually and as administratrix, and in favor of Weatherholt and wife and the corporation on the cross-complaint. Thereafter, upon motion duly made, the court granted a new trial to Palm Springs Holding Corporation on the ground of insufficiency of the evidence. Plaintiff appeals from the judgment, except as to that portion thereof which awarded judgment in his favor against the corporation and Carrie E. Herzog as administratrix, and also from the order granting Palm Springs Holding Corporation a new trial. The corporation filed a cross appeal from the judgment on the verdict granted against it. Carrie E. Herzog, individually and as administratrix, appeals from the judgment.

The issues raised by the pleadings may be summarized as follows: Plaintiff sought damages against Herzog and wife, Weatherholt and wife and the corporation, for fraudulent representations that the property of the corporation was unencumbered, and also damages for breach of contract consisting of the failure of the defendants to finance the completion of the improvements of the tract and to sell a sufficient *40 amount of the property to enable the corporation to pay the sums due plaintiff under his improvement contract with the corporation. He was claiming that Mrs. Herzog and Mrs. Weatherholt were parties to the joint venture and that the corporation was the alter ego of the individual defendants.

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Bluebook (online)
266 P.2d 185, 123 Cal. App. 2d 34, 1954 Cal. App. LEXIS 1139, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/grant-v-weatherholt-calctapp-1954.