Udgaard v. Schindler

31 N.W.2d 776, 75 N.D. 625, 1948 N.D. LEXIS 89
North Dakota Supreme Court·Decided March 29, 1948·No. File 7058·Published·Cited by 16 cases

Opinion

Btjeke, J.

Plaintiff is the owner of a tract of farm land in Steele County. The defendants, Joe and Rose Schindler, were at the time of the commencement of the action occupants and lessees of plaintiff’s land.

In her complaint in this case plaintiff alleges two causes of action. The first is a statutory action to determine adverse claims to real property and for damages for waste, the second is for damages for breach of the covenants of a lease. Plaintiff claimed forfeiture of the defendants’ lease for breach of its conditions and the right to possession of the land by virtue of a provision for reentry contained in the lease. The defendants Schindlers, denied that they had breached their lease and counterclaimed against the plaintiff for damages for her alleged breaches of the lease. During the trial of the case, the defendant Joe Schindler became ill and defendants’ counterclaim, upon their motion, was dismissed without prejudice. The trial resulted in a judgment in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendants Schindlers for possession of the land and for monetary damages. The defendants, Joe and'Rose Schindler, thereupon moved for a new trial. This motion was denied by the trial court and these defendants then appealed from the judgment, demanding a trial anew in this court.

As to the defendant, Parmer’s Union Elevator Association of Aneta, the judgment decreed merely that it held stored in the *629 defendant Schindler’s name 825 bushels and 30 lbs. of wheat upon which plaintiff had a valid lien to secure the payment of the judgment in her favor. As to the other defendants the action was dismissed. None of these defendants has appealed.

The first question for decision arises upon a motion to dismiss the appeal. The motion is based upon the contention that the notice of appeal was served upon the plaintiff alone and not upon the parties defendant other than the Schindlers. At the time the motion to dismiss was filed, such was the case. However, before the time for appeal had expired and before the appeal was heard all parties had been served and they had entered appearances upon this appeal.

In our judgment there was no need for serving the notice of appeal upon the Schindler’s co-defendants. Notice of appeal need be served upon adverse parties only. Section 28-2705 Rev Code 1943. An adverse party, within the statute relating to the service of notice of appeal, is one whose interest in the judgment or order appealed from is in conflict with the modification or reversal sought by appellant. Powell v. International Harvester Co. 41 ND 220, 170 NW 559; Colwell v. Union Cent. L. Ins. Co. 59 ND 768, 232 NW 10; Smith v. Grilk, 64 ND 163, 250 NW 787. Here, what is sought is a reversal or modification of the judgment against the defendants Schindler. Clearly, the defendants in whose favor judgment of dismissal was entered, have no interest whatever in this appeal. Since plaintiff did not appeal, they are out of the case. Nor is the modification sought adverse to the Parmer’s Union Elevator Association. It remains in the case only as the bailee of wheat in which the plaintiff and the appealing defendants each have an interest. Whatever the decision upon this appeal may be it cannot affect any interest of the bailee but only the extent of the interest of the other parties. The motion to dismiss the appeal is therefore denied.

Before reaching the merits of the case there are other preliminary questions to decide. The first of these relates to the form of the action. The defendants contend that the statutory action to determine adverse claims is not a proper action to recover *630 possession of leased premises from plaintiff’s tenants. The action to determine adverse claims “may be maintained by any person having an estate or an interest in, or lien or encumbrance upon, real property, whether in or out of possession thereof and whether such property is vacant or unoccupied, against any person claiming an estate or interest in, or lien or encumbrance upon, the same, for the purpose of determining such adverse estate, interest, lien or encumbrance.” Section 32-1701, Rev Code 1943. In such action, “a recovery of possession also may be had by the plaintiff or any defendant seeking affirmative relief.” Section 32-1702 Rev Code 1943. The action thus authorized “embraces both the common-law action of ejectment and the equitable action to qqiet title.” Ottow v. Friese, 20 ND 86, 126 NW 503. We think it clear therefore that an action to determine adverse claims will lie to recover possession of real property from a lessee who holds over after the termination or forfeiture-of his lease. In such case the relationship of landlord and tenant has terminated and the claim of interest of the ex-lessee has-become adverse to that of the ex-lessor. Universal Milk Co. v. Wood, 205 Cal 751, 272 P 745; Andrews v. Russell, 85 Cal App 149, 259 P 113.

The next question arises upon the defendants’ claim that no-notice to quit was given to them prior to the commencement of this action. We are agreed that this question is settled by statute. The lease in this case reserved to the lessor a right of reentry. Section 47-1704 Rev Code 1943, provides: “Whenever the right of reentry is given to any grantor or lessor in any grant or lease, or otherwise, such reentry may be made at any time-after the right has accrued upon three days’ previous written notice of intention to reenter served in the mode prescribed by section 47-1702.”

Section 47-1705 Rev Code 1943, provides: “An action for the-possession of real property, leased or granted with a right to reenter, may be maintained at any time after the right to reentér has accrued, without the notice prescribed in section 47-1704.”

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Udgaard v. Schindler, 31 N.W.2d 776, 75 N.D. 625, 1948 N.D. LEXIS 89 (N.D. 1948).

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