Kosten v. Fleming

164 P.2d 655, 24 Wash. 2d 355, 1945 Wash. LEXIS 342
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 26, 1945
DocketNo. 29654.
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 164 P.2d 655 (Kosten v. Fleming) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kosten v. Fleming, 164 P.2d 655, 24 Wash. 2d 355, 1945 Wash. LEXIS 342 (Wash. 1945).

Opinion

Jeffers, J.

This is the fourth time this cause has been before this court, once on appeal from the judgment entered by the trial court in the original hearing, and twice on applications for the recall of remittitur.

The original action was instituted by Grace Kosten in 1942, under the unlawful detainer statutes, to recover possession of a house and lot in Seattle from Inglis Fleming, Mary Fleming, his wife, and C. Gordon Fleming, their son.' Plaintiff claimed title to the property in question by virtue of a warranty deed from one James Kausky, dated October 24, 1929, and recorded'the same day. The Flemings’ right to possession was based upon a written lease, made and executed by the above-named Kausky, as lessor, on March 1, 1941, Kausky claiming to be the owner of the property.'

The lower court dismissed the action after a trial on the merits, and Grace Kosten appealed to this court from the judgment entered. In reversing the judgment of the trial court, we stated (Kosten v. Fleming, 15 Wn. (2d) 523, 131 P. (2d) 170):

“It is perfectly clear that respondents [Flemings] acquired no rights in the property by virtue of the so-called lease and option, either upon the theory that Kausky was owner of the property or agent for the owner.”

The opinion concludes with the following paragraph:

“The judgment is reversed and the cause remanded, with directions to enter judgment in favor of appellant for restitution of the property and damages, as provided by statute.”

After the remittitur in the above cause went down, and on January 25, 1943, appellant, Grace Kosten, presented to the trial court proposed findings of fact, conclusions of law, and judgment, conforming, as she claimed, to the judgment of this court as set out in the remittitur.

*357 Proposed finding of fact No. 3 set out the “notice to terminate tenancy,” and in this notice it was stated that the tenancy was terminated on December 31, 1941.

Proposed finding of fact No. 5 stated that the Flemings and each of them have continued in possession of the premises and are now in possession of the same and refuse to deliver the possession thereof to the plaintiff.

Proposed finding of fact No. 6 stated that the rental value of the premises was $32.50 per month.

Proposed conclusion of law No. 2 stated that the defendants and each of them (Flemings) have been and are now guilty of unlawful detainer of the premises; that plaintiff (Kosten) ought to recover from defendants damages in the sum of $780 for the forcible detainer for the calendar year 1942 ($32.50 doubled for twelve months), together with damages at the rate of sixty-five dollars per month for such period of time as the defendants shall continue to remain in possession thereof.

While the trial of the above cause was completed on March 13, 1942, and no supplemental pleading had been filed by Grace Kosten and no proof offered since the original hearing as to the length of time the Flemings had remained in possession of the premises since the trial, this question as to time was not raised by either party, that is, the question of whether or not the Flemings were still in possession of the premises on January 25, 1943, at the time the above findings, conclusions, and judgment were proposed.

However, the Flemings did object to the signing of any findings, conclusions, or judgment which found C. Gordon Fleming guilty of unlawful detainer, or provided for any judgment against him for damages. They also objected to any judgment which provided for damages at the rate of sixty-five dollars per month.

The trial court having indicated that it felt compelled to enter judgment against C. Gordon Fleming unless the re-mittitur was recalled and modified or corrected, the Flem-ings, on January 29, 1943, filed in this court a motion to recall the remittitur issued by this court on January 15, 1943, and to correct the judgment of this court contained in such *358 remittitur, in so far as it directed the recovery of damages and costs against C. Gordon Fleming, and for an order correcting the judgment so as to clarify the same by stating under what statute the trial court was to assess damages, that is, the state statute or the appropriate section of the Federal emergency price control act.

That by the above motion no question was raised that the proposed findings, conclusions, and judgment were not in accord with the remittitur of this court, other than as above indicated, and certainly not as to the time for which the proposed judgment allowed damages, is apparent from the affidavit in support of the motion, which states:

“That affiant (then counsel for the Flemings), shortly after June 1, 1942, advised the respondents (Flemings) that the maximum legal rent for the premises occupied by them was $15 a month and that under the provisions of the Emergency Price Control Act they would not be liable to any penalties or damages for remaining in possession of the property during the pendency of the appeal, even though the appeal were ultimately decided adversely to them. That at all times subsequent to receiving said advice the respondents have remained in possession of the premises in reliance upon the provisions of the Emergency Price Control Act, believing that they were entitled to hold said premises and that in no event could any penalties or damages be assessed against them for so doing.”

The above affidavit was sworn to by Mr. Kennett on January 28, 1943, and filed in this court on January 29, 1943. We do not refer to this affidavit for the purpose of showing an admission by counsel for the Flemings that they were still in possession of the property on January 28,1943, so far as this appeal is concerned, although that is what Mr. Ken-nett stated in the affidavit, but only for the purpose of showing that, on that date, counsel for the Flemings were making no contention that the judgment should provide for damages only up to the date the original trial on the merits was concluded, March 13, 1942.

On April 10, 1943, this court denied the motion of the Flemings to recall the remittitur, and in the opinion (Kosten v. Fleming, 17 Wn. (2d) 500, 136 P. (2d) 449) stated that *359 the record showed ample justification for holding that C. Gordon Fleming, as well as his parents, was guilty of unlawful detainer and should be held in damages. We also stated:

“We are also of the opinion that the judgment of this court [as contained in the remittitur on January 15, 1943] conformed to the opinion as filed in the case [15 Wn. (2d) 523], and that the judgment was intended to, and did, hold C. Gordon Fleming, as well as the other respondents, liable for damages and costs.”

Upon the filing of the opinion in the proceeding last above referred to, counsel for Grace Kosten again prepared proposed findings, conclusions, and judgment, a copy of which was received on April 13, 1943, by Mr. Campbell, who was then representing the Flemings. On April 17, 1943, the court signed the proposed findings, conclusions, and judgment.

Finding No. 2, as signed by the court and filed herein, provides:

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Bluebook (online)
164 P.2d 655, 24 Wash. 2d 355, 1945 Wash. LEXIS 342, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kosten-v-fleming-wash-1945.