Laramore v. Blumenthal

108 N.E. 602, 58 Ind. App. 597, 1915 Ind. App. LEXIS 140
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 21, 1915
DocketNo. 8,759
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 108 N.E. 602 (Laramore v. Blumenthal) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Laramore v. Blumenthal, 108 N.E. 602, 58 Ind. App. 597, 1915 Ind. App. LEXIS 140 (Ind. Ct. App. 1915).

Opinion

Hottel, C. J.

On December 5, 1911, the appellees filed in the Starke Circuit Court, a complaint in one paragraph, in which they alleged in substance and in general terms that they were the owners in fee simple of certain real estate therein described and that appellant then held and for a year past had unlawfully held possession of such real estate, and though frequently requested to vacate the premises had refused to do so. Possession and damages for the retention of the property were asked. This complaint was not questioned by demurrer and the only answer filed was a general denial. On appellant’s motion the cause was venued to the Pulaski Circuit Court where a trial by the court resulted in a finding and judgment in favor of appellees.

On September 9, 1912, appellant was granted a new trial as a matter of right and on the same day appellees filed a second paragraph of complaint. This paragraph differed from the first paragraph in that, instead of alleging generally that appellees were the owners of the real estate described, it alleged facts, showing the source' of appellees’ [599]*599title, viz., that appellee Bertha Blumenthal is the widow of Morris Blumenthal and that her eoappellees are children of Morris and Bertha Blumenthal, that appellees were the only heirs of Morris Blumenthal; that on September 6, 1907, Morris Blumenthal died intestate the owner of the real estate; and, in addition to averring generally that the appellant wrongfully and without right held possession of the premises, the second paragraph contained further averments, setting out particularly the manner in which appellant obtained such possession, viz., that he took possession under an arrangement to purchase, which he afterwards refused to carry out, and then after notice served by appellees of their rescission of the contract and demand for the premises, appellant wrongfully refused to surrender possession.

To this paragraph there was filed a demurrer for want of facts accompanied by a memorandum which enumerated the following among others as defects in such complaint: “(e) The complaint does not allege that plaintiffs are entitled to the possession of the premises described therein.” This demurrer was overruled and appellant answered in general denial. The cause was tried by jury and a verdict returned in favor of appellees as follows: (omitting caption) '“'We, the jury find for the plaintiffs that they were at the beginning of this ease the owners of and entitled to the possession of the property described in the complaint, -to wit: — (here follows description). That the defendant at the commencement of this action wrongfully withheld the possession of said property and we assess the amount of plaintiffs ’ damages at the sum of $100.00. T. B. Hedges, Foreman. ’ ’

Appellant filed his motion in arrest of judgment. While this motion was pending, appellees filed their 'motion to amend their complaint which in so far as it affects the question herein considered is as follows: ‘ ‘ Come now the plaintiffs and move the court for permission to make the following amendments to the first paragraph of the complaint, [600]*600to conform the pleadings to the facts proved, which amendment does not substantially change the claim or defense to' the action herein. That they be permitted to insert after the word ‘of’ in line 14 of the first paragraph of the complaint, the words: ‘and entitled to the possession of.’ * * * And that they be permitted to insert after the • word ‘same’ in line 46 of 2d paragraph of complaint the following, ‘That plaintiffs are the owners of and entitled to the possession of the lands herein above described.’ That the same amendment will conform the pleadings to the facts proved, and do not substantially change the claim or defense of this action.” The court sustained the motion as to the first paragraph of the complaint to which ruling appellant reserved an exception, and overruled it as to the second paragraph. The court then overruled appellant’s motion in arrest, to- which ruling appellant also reserved an exception. A motion for a new trial was overruled, and judgment rendered on the verdict.

The errors assigned and relied on for reversal are as follows: (1) The court erred in overruling appellant’s demurrer to the second paragraph of complaint. (2) The court erred in overruling appellant’s motion in arrest of judgment. (3) The court erred in permitting appellees to amend the complaint after verdict, and pending appellant’s motion in arrest of judgment.- (4) The first paragraph of appellees’ complaint does not state a cause of action. (5) The second paragraph of appellee’s complaint does not state a cause of action.

1. In determining wnether error was committed by the ruling on the demurrer to the second paragraph of complaint we look only to the specific objections made in the memorandum accompanying the demurrer (Stiles v. Hasler [1914], 56 Ind. App. 88, 104 N. E. 878); and, as to such objections, we will consider only those pointed out in appellant’s brief and relied on in this court, all others being deemed waived.

[601]*6012. The only objection here urged against this' paragraph is that it does “not allege that plaintiffs (appellees) were entitled to the possession of the premises described therein.” The statute provides in such actions what the contents of the complaint shall be, viz., “The' plaintiff in his complaint shall state that he is entitled to the possession of the premises, particularly describing them, the interest he claims therein, and that the defendant unlawfully keeps him out of possession.” §1100 Burns 1914, §1054 R. S. 1881. It has been held that a complaint is sufficient if it states in substance the requirements of the statute. Knight v. McDonald (1871), 37 Ind. 463; Smith v. Kyler (1881), 74 Ind. 575; Blake v. Minker (1894), 136 Ind. 418, 36 N. E. 246. It was, however, expressly held by the Supreme Court in the case of Pittsburgh, etc., R. Co. v. O’Brien (1895), 142 Ind. 218, 222, 41 N. E. 328, that the averment in question is “indispensably necessary * * * in the complaint to make it good”. The averments of this paragraph of complaint, under consideration, were such as to, at least, warrant, if not necessitate, the inference that appellees were entitled to the possession of the real estate involved, and, under some of the more recent cases of the Supreme Court, such averments were probably sufficient to render such paragraph good as against said objection;' but, be this as it may, for the reasons hereinafter indicated, the ruling on said demurrer even if erroneous, was harmless and hence can afford appellant no ground for a reversal of the judgment below.

3. It is next insisted that the court erred in overruling appellant’s motion in arrest of judgment. As this motion was not ruled on until after the amendment was made to the first paragraph, which ruling constitutes the third error assigned, we will first consider the action of the court in permitting such amendment. The verdict was rendered October 12, 1912, and leave to amend the first paragraph of complaint was not granted until November 18, [602]*6021912, long after the jury had been discharged. Section 400 Burns 1914, §391 R. S. 1881, provides: “No variance between the allegations in a pleading and the proof is to be deemed material, unless it have actually misled the adverse party, to his prejudice, in maintaining his action or defense upon the merits.

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Bluebook (online)
108 N.E. 602, 58 Ind. App. 597, 1915 Ind. App. LEXIS 140, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/laramore-v-blumenthal-indctapp-1915.