Johnson v. Sun Realty Co.

32 P.2d 393, 138 Cal. App. 296, 1934 Cal. App. LEXIS 782
California Court of Appeal·Decided April 26, 1934·No. Civ. No. 8957·Published·Cited by 14 cases

Opinion

GRAY, J., pro tem.

Appellant appeals from (1) a minute order and a subsequent written order, each sustaining, without leave to amend, the general demurrer of the Sun Realty Company, hereinafter called the respondent, to appellant’s complaint, (2) a judgment, pursuant to such orders, in favor of respondent for its costs, and (3) a minute order and a subsequent written order, each denying appellant’s motion to vacate such judgment. The orders sustaining the demurrer are not appealable but are reviewable on appeal from the judgment. (Harmon v. DeTurk, 176 Cal. 758 [169 Pac. 680].) Generally, an order refusing to vacate a judgment is not appealable, but where, as here, the record on appeal from the judgment fails to disclose the grounds of the motion, it is appealable. (Hall v. Imperial Water Co., 200 Cal. 77 [251 Pac. 912].)

[299] The grounds of the motion are that the demurrer should not have been considered because, (1) when heard, it lacked the certificate of good faith, and (2) it had not been regularly transferred, both as required by court rules. Noneompliance with such rules, to which no penalty was attached, did not prevent the court from hearing and disposing of the demurrer. (Wigman v. Superior Court, 74 Cal. App. 132 [239 Pac. 427] ; see, also, Five States Timber Co. v. Dwinnell, 54 Cal. App. 113 [203 Pac. 410].) In absence of any showing to the contrary, it will be presumed that the court disregarded its rules for sufficient cause and to subserve the ends of justice, as it had the power to do. (Connell v. Higgins, 170 Cal. 541 [150 Pac. 769].)

Since the general demurrer challenges the sufficiency of the complaint to state any cause of action, it should not have been sustained if the complaint states facts from which any liability results, although not for some or all of the relief sought to be obtained. (California Trust Co. v. Cohn, 214 Cal. 619 [7 Pac. (2d) 297].) The propriety of the ruling on the demurrer must be determined by the consideration of the scope and effect of the allegations of the complaint. (Biggart v. Lewis, 183 Cal. 660 [192 Pac. 437].) The complaint alleges that on October 17, 1927, the respondent, in writing, leased three rooms in an office building for a term of five years to Edwin T. Kennedy, hereinafter called the defendant; that on May 2, 1930, appellant and another, with respondent’s written consent, verbally subleased a portion of such rooms for the remainder of the term; that on November 7, 1930, such other person assigned his interest in the sublease to appellant, defendant and respondent each verbally consenting thereto and respondent presented to appellant a written instrument, which it stated evidenced its consent to the assignment of the sublease and which it asked him to sign; that appellant, believing such statement to be true and relying thereon, signed in the belief that it was a consent to the assignment of the sublease; that, by mutual mistake of the parties, the instrument was so drawn as to now cause respondent to claim it is an assignment of the original lease and an assumption of its obligations; that no consideration has been paid to appellant for assuming such additional obligations; that it was the intention of the parties to sign a consent to the assign[300] ment of the sublease and that the substitution of other wording was due to mutual mistake and oversight of respondent’s employees and the parties; that defendant has always retained possession of the rooms not subleased; that respondent has refused appellant’s request for permission to examine its lease with defendant on the ground that there was no privity of contract between it and appellant, and that defendant is indebted to appellant for legal services in a specified amount, which he is entitled to offset against rent found due. The complaint further alleges that on July 25, 1931, respondent and defendant filed, in the Los Angeles Municipal Court, a complaint against appellant, claiming that under an assignment pf the original lease, dated November 13, 1930, which they held, appellant had accepted and assumed all of the obligations of the original lease, including payment of rents totaling $3,300, for the lessor’s benefit, and had entered into and retained possession of the leased premises; and praying for judgment in the sum of $880 for rent, attorney’s fees and costs; that demand for a reformation of the instrument so as to make it a consent to an assignment of the sublease has been made and refused; that on August 7, 1931, respondent served notice that it would move the municipal court to strike out appellant’s answer and render judgment against him; that appellant is without an adequate remedy at law, the municipal court is without equitable jurisdiction to reform the written instrument and, unless the prosecution of such action is restrained until the instrument is reformed, appellant will suffer irreparable loss by not being permitted to offset his claims against defendant against respondent’s claims, and a multiplicity of actions will result. The prayer, which gives the gist of the action, asks a reformation of the instrument and, meanwhile, the restraint of the prosecution of the municipal court action.

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Johnson v. Sun Realty Co., 32 P.2d 393, 138 Cal. App. 296, 1934 Cal. App. LEXIS 782 (Cal. Ct. App. 1934).

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