Landry v. Marshall

243 Cal. App. 2d 170, 52 Cal. Rptr. 119, 1966 Cal. App. LEXIS 1659
California Court of Appeal·Decided June 24, 1966·No. Civ. 29505·Published·Cited by 4 cases

Opinion

LILLIE, J.

Plaintiff sued defendants in three causes of action—for fraud and deceit, breach of contract and money had and received; writ of attachment followed. Defendants moved to dissolve the same and filed with their notice of motion affidavits and certain exhibits; plaintiff filed opposing affidavits. The matter was referred to a court commissioner for findings and recommendations; based upon his findings of fact he recommended to the court that the motion be granted and the writ be discharged, and the court so ordered. Thereafter, pursuant to section 259a, subdivision 2, Code of Civil Procedure, plaintiff filed a motion taking exception to the findings *172 and recommendations of the commissioner and order dissolving attachment; after a hearing thereon, the court granted plaintiff’s motion to vacate the previous order dissolving the writ, found the second cause of action of the first amended complaint to be sufficient to sustain the writ of attachment, and entered an order denying defendants ’ motion. Defendants appeal from the order.

Plaintiff’s first cause of action alleged fraud and conspiracy in connection with certain oral representations made by defendants relative to a written exclusive franchise for the sale and distribution in Arizona of “Fertile Rain,” a liquid fertilizer, and the delivery of the fertilizer, perfected metering devices, supplies, equipment, advertising and training necessary to promote the sale and distribution of the product. 1 Plaintiff’s second cause of action is for breach of contract. He alleges that on July 14, 1963, he and defendants entered into the following oral contract—in consideration of plaintiff’s payment of $30,000 to defendants, the latter were to “immediately” deliver to plaintiff a written exclusive franchise for distribution of “Fertile Rain” in Arizona; “promptly” provide him with all necessary equipment to operate the franchise, including a perfected metering device for the fertilizer, supplies, equipment and sales literature; spend for advertising and promotion 30 cents per gallon of fertilizer sold; provide field training and assist in the operation of necessary equipment; and have “immediately” available to him for shipment to customers sufficient amounts of “Fertile Rain” that plaintiff could satisfy customer orders for the then current season, specifically, 30 drums of fertilizer to be shipped to his order within three days after payment of the $30,000—that time was of the essence of said contract; that he paid the $30,000 on August 14, 1963, but defendants “failed to perform all or any *173 one of the terms and conditions of the oral contract”—no written exclusive franchise was ever offered or delivered to him; equipment in good working order necessary to conduct a franchise operation was not provided when requested by him “and in time for the then current marketing season”; money for advertising, assistance, field training and promotion of the product were never provided, although requested; and there was “not immediately available” when requested any amounts whatsoever of “Fertile Rain,” and “when such product finally became available it was in such limited quantity and so defectively packaged that plaintiff was unable to utilize such product for sales to customers during the then current marketing season, ’ ’ and that as a direct and proximate result of such breach of contract he was damaged in the sum of the total consideration paid to defendants by him, or $30,000. The third cause of action is in a common count for money had and received.

Annexed to defendants’ motion is the declaration of defendant Marshall. He asserted delivery of all materials due plaintiff in accordance with their agreement, shipped in accordance with plaintiff’s instructions; that plaintiff breached the contract by refusing to sign the franchise agreement and by conspiring with one Folden to drive him out of business; and that plaintiff commenced manufacturing liquid fertilizer chemicals and pumps in direct competition with defendants. The affidavit of Casey Folden asserts that plaintiff refused to sign the written franchise agreement on August 21, 1963; that plaintiff purchased $30,000 worth of “Fertile Rain” and metering devices, and necessary equipment for sale and distribution thereof by him to customers; that all was of merchantable quality and fit for the purpose designed and used by plaintiff; that he was induced to enter into an agreement with plaintiff to form a corporation for the manufacture and sale of “Fertile Rain”; and that plaintiff admitted that the purpose of bringing the suit was to force defendants into bankruptcy so that he might ultimately secure all right, title and interest of defendants in “Fertile Rain” and fertile mix and other necessary materials.

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

Landry v. Marshall, 243 Cal. App. 2d 170, 52 Cal. Rptr. 119, 1966 Cal. App. LEXIS 1659 (Cal. Ct. App. 1966).

243 Cal. App. 2d 170 (Landry v. Marshall) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Altisource Solutions v. Quick Home Restore CA4/2
California Court of Appeal, 2014
Samuels v. Superior Court
276 Cal. App. 2d 264 (California Court of Appeal, 1969)
Whitney Investment Co. v. Westview Development Co.
273 Cal. App. 2d 594 (California Court of Appeal, 1969)