McCann v. Oregon Scenic Trips Co.

209 P. 483, 105 Or. 213, 1922 Ore. LEXIS 64
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 3, 1922
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 209 P. 483 (McCann v. Oregon Scenic Trips Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McCann v. Oregon Scenic Trips Co., 209 P. 483, 105 Or. 213, 1922 Ore. LEXIS 64 (Or. 1922).

Opinion

BURNETT, C. J.

After stating the corporate entity of the defendant, the complaint proceeds as follows :

“2. That heretofore and between the 8th day of August, 1920, and the 27th day of August, 1920, the said plaintiff sold and delivered to the above-named defendant, Oregon Scenic Trips Co., certain goods, wares and merchandise, consisting of automobile tires and accessories of various descriptions, and performed certain services in and about the hereinafter described automobile, all at the agreed and reasonable price of $478.14.

‘ ‘3. That the said tires, tubes and automobile accessories so sold and delivered to the said defendant, Oregon Scenic Trips Co., by said plaintiff, was so sold and so furnished the said defendant to be used, and which to plaintiff’s information and belief were used, on that certain United States automobile truck, bearing Oregon license for the year 1920 number 80087, and bearing motor number 3781-20, and that said services so rendered by said plaintiff for said last above mentioned defendant were performed and rendered in and about said last described automobile truck. That no part of the said $478.14 has been paid and that there is now due and owing to this plaintiff from said last named defendant the said sum of $478.14.

“i. That said defendant, Oregon Scenic Trips Co., was on the dates heretofore mentioned the owner or reputed owner of the said above described automobile truck, and that at the time said merchandise was so sold and said services so performed the said last named defendant was in possession and control of said last described automobile truck.

‘ ‘ 5. That the above named plaintiff duly filed as required by law, his claim, for lien for the amount due and owing him as aforesaid by said defendant in the office of the county clerk in the county of Clatsop, state of Oregon, on the 6th day of October, 1920, and within sixty days from the date of the sale and furnishing and delivering of said automobile tires and [216]*216accessories to said defendant, and the rendering of said services to said defendant, which claim for lien so filed was duly signed by claimant, and contained the name of the owner, or reputed owner, of said automobile truck and a description of said automobile sufficient for identification, upon which and for which the said plaintiff so sold and delivered said automobile tires and accessories and services so performed, and the amount for which the said lien was claimed and the dates upon which said materials and services was started to be so sold and delivered, and which notice was verified by said plaintiff and contained all other material facts in relation thereto, a copy of which notice of lien is hereto annexed and made a part of the complaint and marked Exhibit ‘A.’

“6. That there is now due and owing said plaintiff for said automobile tires, tubes and accessories so sold and delivered the said defendant, Oregon Scenic Trips Go., and for said services performed, the said sum of $478.14, and that said last named defendant has refused to pay the same, and said plaintiff has a good and valid claim for lien upon the above described automobile truck.”

The pleading closes with the general assertion that the defendants Henry and Eose have some claim against the automobile in question in the 'nature of a chattel mortgage and that $100 is a reasonable amount to be allowed the plaintiff for attorney’s fees in the foreclosure of the lien. Another count as to another automobile is inserted in the complaint in identical terms except as to amount and description.

The defendant demurred to the complaint on the following grounds:

“That the court has no jurisdiction of the person of these defendants, or either of them, or of the subject of the action.

“That the complaint does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action.”

[217]*217The court overruled the demurrer and afterwards, the defendant refusing to plead further, rendered a personal decree against the defendant for the amounts claimed and for attorney’s fees, declared a lien upon the automobile and decreed a foreclosure thereof, ordering a sale under the decree.'

On appeal the defendant urges the following errors:

“That the court erred in overruling defendants’ demurrer to plaintiff’s complaint.

“That the court erred in entering its judgment and decree against defendant Oregon Scenic Trips Co. on said complaint, for the reason that said complaint does not state facts sufficient tó constitute a cause of suit against said defendant.”

1. We may view this proceeding either in the aspect of an action at law or else as a suit to foreclose á lien under Sections 10272 et seq., Or. L., for the distinction between actions at law and suits in equity is still maintained in Oregon.

2. The demurrer may be disregarded as to the first assignment, because the Circuit Court had jurisdiction of the subject of the action in that it had a right to try the kind of proceeding, whether it be ah. action or a suit.

3. It likewise had jurisdiction of the person of the answering defendant because it appeared generally in the case. The complaint contains enough matter in the second and third paragraphs to sustain a cause of action for goods sold and delivered, the obligation of the defendant to pay for them being one implied by law. It is not an express agreement or a personal obligation of the defendant. The pleading, therefore, did contain a sufficient statement of a cause of action, and the demurrer, contending that it did not, was properly overruled. Considering the proceedings as an action at law, the court was authorized on the [218]*218defendant’s refusal further to answer, to render a judgment at law for the face of the claim, but without additional sums as attorney’s fees.

4, 5. The deliverance of the court is not a judgment or decree for want of answer. The defendant did answer by demurrer, tendering’ an issue of law. However ill founded its contention, the pleading on its behalf does amount to an answer. It appealed and in this court has the right to urge for the first time that the complaint does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of suit. That question is before us for decision, if we contemplate the proceeding as a suit to foreclose a lien.

6. The general statute relating to the foreclosure of liens upon real or personal property, Section 422, Or. L., provides that “in such suit in addition to the decree of foreclosure and sale, if it appear thát a promissory note or other personal obligation for the payment of the debt has been given by the mortgagor or other lien debtor, or by any other person as principal or otherwise, the court shall also decree a recovery of the amount of such debt against such person or persons, as the ease may be, as in the case of an ordinary decree for the recovery of money.” It does not appear that any promissory note or other personal obligation for the debt here involved was given by anyone. For want of this, there can be no personal decree in equity against the defendant, as distinguished from a law judgment.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
209 P. 483, 105 Or. 213, 1922 Ore. LEXIS 64, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mccann-v-oregon-scenic-trips-co-or-1922.