Murphy v. Davis
Murphy v. Davis
Opinion of the Court
This is an appeal from a judgment in favor of the plaintiff in an action for damages for breach of contract to marry.
Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the successful party in the trial court, the facts are as follows: Defendant asked plaintiff to marry him, and shortly thereafter plaintiff accepted said promise to marry defendant and gave her promise in return. In the fall of 1934 defendant renewed said promise to marry but postponed the marriage from time to time without fixing a definite date. Plaintiff, in view of the fact that she was engaged to marry defendant, was persuaded to enter into sexual relations with him. Defendant took plaintiff with him as his wife to New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona, and induced plaintiff to pose as his wife during this trip. Defendant showed plaintiff various pieces of property and discussed buying a home with her in the state of Colorado and purchased a tax deed on said property, after the property had been approved by plaintiff. Plaintiff became pregnant by defendant. Defendant stated to mutual friends that she was carrying his child and that he wished her to give birth to the child. At this time he again promised plaintiff that he would marry her.
Appellant’s first contention is that “the trial court committed prejudicial error in permitting respondent to introduce, over the objection of defendant (appellant), the hearsay
The declarations of the plaintiff, made to third persons, as to her contemplated marriage with the defendant, though not admissible as evidence of the agreement to marry, were admissible, after prima facie evidence of the agreement to marry, and of its breach, for the purpose of showing the humiliation of the plaintiff by the breach of promise, as an element of damage to the plaintiff’s feelings. (Reed v. Clark, 47 Cal. 194; Liebrandt v. Sorg, 133 Cal. 571 [65 Pac. 1098].)
Appellant’s second contention is that “there is'a fatal variance between the alleged contract to marry in respondent’s pleadings and the proof”, and in this behalf he contends that the complaint alleged that “the defendant promised to marry the plaintiff within a reasonable time”, whereas the proof was that defendant promised to marry plaintiff when he got his “affairs straightened out” or when his “lawsuits were terminated”. A contract to marry is ordinarily evidenced by several expressions and many circumstances. The record shows that the above expressions were merely two, among many, of defendant’s intention to marry the plaintiff. Many of his promises were made without including any statement of the time for performance ; and in the absence of such a statement the law will imply that it shall be performed within a reasonable time, depending, of course, upon the circumstances of each particular case. (4 Cal. Jur. 456; 4 R. C. L. 147.) Under the above rule the record contains a plethora of substantial evidence that the defendant promised to marry the plaintiff within a reasonable time, including many circumstances from which an inference to the same effect may be fairly drawn. It is not the province of this court to disturb a finding of
Appellant’s third contention is that “the alleged promise of marriage is against public policy and void because founded upon an illegal consideration”. Defendant refers to the fact heretofore stated that plaintiff, in view of the fact that she was engaged to the defendant, was persuaded to enter into sexual relations with him, and cites the early case of Boigneres v. Boulon, 54 Cal. 146. In the instant case sexual intercourse was not the consideration for the promise but was a privilege obtained after the contract had been entered into. There is substantial evidence at least that the consideration for the promise to marry was plaintiff’s promise given in return. This, of course, was a legal and valid consideration. (4 R. C. L. 144, sec. 3.)
The defendant’s next contention is that “the alleged contract of marriage was unenforceable because of indefiniteness and uncertainty as to the time of performance”. The promise was that the defendant was to marry the plaintiff within a reasonable time. Such a promise is not indefinite and uncertain within the purview of the law on contracts
Finally, the defendant contends that the court erred in overruling defendant’s motion - for a new trial. Rulings of the trial court on such motions are within the sound discretion of the trial court and they will never be reversed unless there is an affirmative showing of an abuse of discretion. (Bonner v. Los Angeles Examiner, 17 Cal. App. (2d) 458 [62 Pac. (2d) 427].) No such showing is made in this case.
Judgment affirmed.
McComb, J., pro iem., concurred.
Dissenting Opinion
I dissent. In my opinion the record shows an abuse of discretion on the part of the trial court in denying the motion for a new trial. The pregnancy of plaintiff resulted in a miscarriage. Plaintiff testified that sexual relations commenced after mutual promises of marriage were made, but when she became pregnant she mailed a letter to defendant, which in part is as follows: “I shall put it plainly. I am in a familie way with you, as sure as anything. It just dawned on me a week ago. I started checking up on myselv, and you know how I feel. I can’t sleep or rest. So please do not keep me waiting to hear from you. I was
A petition by appellant to have the cause heard in the Supreme Court, after judgment in the District Court of Appeal, was denied by the Supreme Court on April 22, 1937.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- ANNA MURPHY, Respondent, v. MANSELL A. DAVIS, Appellant
- Cited By
- 4 cases
- Status
- Published