Rito Cebolla Investments, Ltd. v. Golden West Land Corp.

607 P.2d 659, 94 N.M. 121
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 12, 1980
Docket4039, 3561
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 607 P.2d 659 (Rito Cebolla Investments, Ltd. v. Golden West Land Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rito Cebolla Investments, Ltd. v. Golden West Land Corp., 607 P.2d 659, 94 N.M. 121 (N.M. Ct. App. 1980).

Opinion

OPINION

SUTIN, Judge.

This appeal involves two related cases consolidated for disposition. Cause No. 3561 involves the issue of pr.oper venue and cause No. 4039 involves summary judgment granted defendants. Each case will be separately discussed.

A. In Cause No. 3561, Mora County was not the proper venue.

Plaintiff, Rito Cebolla Investments Limited (Rito Cebolla) sued defendant, Golden West Land Corporation (Golden West) in Mora County for damages arising out of alleged misrepresentations made by Golden West to Rito Cebolla in the sale of real estate located in Mora County. Golden West filed an answer and motion to dismiss for improper venue. The motion was sustained and an order of dismissal entered. Rito Cebolla appeals. We affirm.

After a hearing, the trial court found that Rito Cebolla and Golden West were New Mexico corporations, each with its principal place of business in Bernalillo County; that this was a suit in damages arising out of alleged misrepresentations of Golden West with regard to the execution of a contract which induced Rito Cebolla to consummate the contract; that the action did not affect the title to, or ownership of, the property and that neither party could be found in Mora County. Rito Cebolla challenged the following additional finding of fact:

6. The contract between the Plaintiff and Defendant was made and executed in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, and was to be performed in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.

The court concluded that this was a transitory action and venue in Mora County was improper.

Section 38-3-l(A), the venue statute, reads in pertinent part:

[A]ll transitory actions shall be brought in the county where either the plaintiff or defendant . resides; or . in the county where the contract sued on was made or is to be performed . . .

Rito Cebolla argues that thefeiTs no evidence to support finding No. 6. “’ We disagree. Its verified complaint alleges that the representations made by Golden West culminated in three executed real estate contracts filed in Mora County, describing the place of recordation. Rito Cebolla then alleged:

8. DEFENDANT is in possession of duplicate originals of the aforesaid real estate contracts and the real estate contracts themselves have been filed with the Clerk of Mora County, New Mexico and by this reference are made a part hereof. [Emphasis added.]

These three contracts are a matter of record and included in the complaint. Golden West’s answer brief attached two of the three real estate contracts recorded, as defendant’s Exhibits A and C. On motion of Rito Cebolla, this Court struck these contracts from the brief, but retained them in the file as a part of the complaint. These contracts show that they were made, executed and to be performed in Bernalillo County.

Even if we deleted the court’s finding No. 6, we would be left with a transitory action involving a plaintiff and defendant both of whom are “residents” of Bernalillo County. Bernalillo County was the only county with proper venue. As Justice Moise said in Torres v. Gamble, 75 N.M. 741, 743, 410 P.2d 959, 960 (1966):

The statute quoted above is to our minds clear and unambiguous. It says that when there are two plaintiffs in a law suit the action may be brought in the county in which either of them resides. We perceive of no room for interpretation where they were both necessary and indispensable.

The order of dismissal is affirmed with leave granted Rito Cebolla to file the same complaint in Bernalillo County free of any defense of the statute of ■ limitations. Filing the suit in Mora County was a mistake, not negligence, and, under § 37-1-4, N.M. S.A. 1978, Rito Cebolla is entitled to a continuous cause of action.

B. In cause No. 4039, summary judgment is affirmed.

On May 22, 1978, pending the appeal of cause No. 3561, supra, Rito Cebolla sued Golden West, the Albuquerque National Bank, an escrow agent, Bill Wilcox and T. M. Clear in seven counts, seeking among other things, damages, an order of restoration and rescission. Rito Cebolla’s complaint stands alone in this appeal.

Defendants filed a motion to dismiss or for summary judgment “for the reasons that the statute of limitations has run on the claims set forth in the Complaint and for the further reason that Mora County Cause No. 5745 (being cause No. 3561, supra ) is res judicata of the issues involved herein.” [Emphasis added.]

The statute of limitations, which is an affirmative defense to be pleaded, may be raised in a motion for summary judgment. Stewart v. Hood Corporation, 95 Idaho 198, 506 P.2d 95 (1973); Hebert v. Jarvis & Rice & White Insurance Inc., 134 Vt. 472, 365 A.2d 271 (1976); Annot. Raising Statute of Limitations by Motion for Summary Judgment, 61 A.L.R.2d 341 (1958).

However, the trial court found “that no genuine issue of material fact exists with regard to plaintiff’s claim,” and ordered that defendants’ motion be granted, and plaintiff’s complaint dismissed with prejudice. On appeal, Rito Cebolla limits its argument to the issues of statute of limitations and the doctrine of res judicata. If this were the basis upon which summary judgment was granted, we would agree. But the summary judgment was not limited in scope and no action was taken in the district court to amend the summary judgment. After the hearing, the court requested letter briefs. Both parties submitted them and they appear in the transcript. Golden West sought unlimited summary judgment in which the statute of limitations and res judicata played some roles. Instead of responding simultaneously, Rito Cebolla was delayed and answered the claims made by Golden West. It is too late in the day for Rito Cebolla to press for a summary judgment limited to the application of the statute of limitations and res judicata. It also filed a series of motions in this Court: (1) to supplement the record by including a deposition taken of an officer in the case of Rito Cebolla v. The Marrujos, No. 5712, a separate cause of action in Mora County; this motion was denied; (2) a motion to strike from its answer brief references to a letter brief filed by Golden West; this motion was granted; it should have been denied because Rito Cebolla responded late to Golden West’s letter brief; (3) a motion to remand this cause to the district court to correct the record and supply all matters of record; this motion was denied; (4) a motion to strike references in Golden West’s answer brief, which motion is now denied. We shall repeat what we said in Michael v. Warner/Chilcott, 91 N.M. 651, 653, 579 P.2d 183, 185 (Ct.App.1978):

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
607 P.2d 659, 94 N.M. 121, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rito-cebolla-investments-ltd-v-golden-west-land-corp-nmctapp-1980.