McLain v. Nurnberg

112 N.W. 243, 16 N.D. 144, 1907 N.D. LEXIS 36
North Dakota Supreme Court·Decided May 4, 1907·Published·Cited by 19 cases

Opinion

Morgan. C. J.

This is an action of forcible detainer. The plaintiff recovered judgment in justice court for the possession of the house and lot described in the complaint and for the sum of $37, unpaid rent, and damages. The defendant appealed to the district court, and demanded a new trial in his notice of appeal. Prio'r to the trial in district court the defendant vacated the premises in suit, and the trial proceeded upon the sole issue whether the defendant was indebted to the plaintiff in any sum for rent or for damages on ■account of the occupancy of the premises. The assignments of error are numerous, but they may all be disposed of by consideration of a part of them as covering or including them all.

It is contended that there must be a reversal for the reason that the verdict and judgment are silent as to the right of the possession of the defendant of the premises at the commencement of the action. There was no issue on the trial in the district court as to the right to the possession. That issue was eliminated by the surrender of possession by the defendant to plaintiff after the trial in justice court. The defendant’s contention that no verdict for rent can be sustained without a finding as to the right of possession at the commencement of the trial cannot be sustained. To litigate the right [147] <of possession after possession had been voluntarily given up in a case like this would be litigating an issue already disposed , of by the voluntary act of one of the parties. The question whether defendant was entitled to possession when the action was commenced became immaterial. The statute permits a cause of action for unpaid rent to be joined with a cause of action for forcible detainer. The right of possession having been disposed of, the action did not abate so far as the issue as to the non-payment of rent was concerned. Section 8409, Rev. Codes 1905, authorizes the joinder of a cause of action for rent with one of possession. The action is strictly one for possession based on a wrongful detainer, and a recovery for rent is permitted in connection therewith. The cause of action for rent was rightfully joined at the commencement of the action, and, because the question of possession has been determined by the withdrawal of defendant from the premises, we discover no reason why the action should not continue in order that all the issues properly in the case may be speedily disposed of. No authorities are •cited in favor of this contention, and we have failed to find any. Cases holding that the right to recover rents is incidental to the right to recover possession do not control the point -here involved.

It is argued that the justice of the peace never acquired jurisdiction of the cause, for the reason that the notice to quit was not filed with him at or before the time that he issued the summons. Section 8407, Rev. Codes 1905, provides that a notice to quit “must be given * * * before proceedings can be instituted.” There is no statutory requirement that the notice must be filed before summons is issued. We do not think that the absence of a showing that the notice to quit was on file with the justice when the summons was issued defeats his jurisdiction. If such a notice is given before the summons is issued, and that fact is shown on the trial, his jurisdiction is not lost. It is the giving of the notice, and not the filing of it with the justice, that is requisite before the action can be properly instituted. It would be adding to the statutory requirements to hold that filing of the notice is a jurisdictional prerequisite to the commencement of an action. Reliance is placed on N. W. Loan & Banking Co. v. Jonason et al., 12 S. D. 618, 82 N. W. 94, to sustain appellant’s contention. The sole question in that case was whether the notice to quit must necessarily be offered in evidence, and it was held that on filing of the same with the justice it became a part of the record. What is there said concerning the necessity of filing the no[148] tice before the justice could acquire jurisdiction does not pertain to the point involved and decided. It is true that the service of such notice is a condition precedent to the right to institute the action for possession; but to hold that the filing of it with the justice before a summons can lawfully be issued is jurisdictional is giving a construction to the statute not warranted by its language.

It is further contended that the action of forcible detainer can be maintained only when the tenant “holds over after the termination of his lease or the expiration of his term.” The section of the code governing this action reads as follows: “When a lessee in person or by subtenant, holds over after the termination of his lease or expiration of his term, or fails to pay his rent for three days after the same shall be due * * Subdivision 4, of section 8406, Rev. Codes 1905. A mere reading of this section is sufficient to controvert appellant’s contention. A failure to pay rent for three days after it becomes due is ground for the dispossession of the tenant after the statutory prerequisite of a notice to quit has been complied with. The notice to quit in this case was in writing, and did not specify the ground upon which the tenant was asked to surrender possession. No question was raised as to the sufficiency of the notice in justice court, and the objection was not specifically pointed out in the trial in the district court when the notice to quit was offered in evidence, nor was the attention of the trial court directed to this specific objection at any stage of the trial. The objection was waived by litigating the issues on the merits, even if it were to be conceded that the objection is tenable. The notice was properly given under section 8406, Rev. Codes 1905.

The trial court permitted the plaintiff to amend the complaint and granted leave to file the amendment at a later time. It is claimed that an amended complaint was never filed pursuant to such leave. The trial proceeded without objection on the theory that the amendment had been duly and properly made. The objection is made for the first time in this court that the amendment was not properly incorporated in an amended complaint in accordance with the rule laid down in Satterlund v. Beal, 12 N. D. 122, 95 N. W. 518. It is too late to raise the question now for the first time on an appeal on questions of law. There was clearly a waiver of the irregularities complained of. Pyke v. Jamestown, 15 N. D. 157, 107 N. W. 359.

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McLain v. Nurnberg, 112 N.W. 243, 16 N.D. 144, 1907 N.D. LEXIS 36 (N.D. 1907).

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