Orange County Machine Works v. Republic Heater Corp.
Orange County Machine Works v. Republic Heater Corp.
Opinion of the Court
This is an action to recover a balance of $886.91 due on an open book account for goods, wares, merchandise and labor furnished defendant corporation by plaintiff. Defendant filed an answer and cross-complaint in which it is alleged that plaintiff appropriated to its own use 100.85 tons of scrap steel which was the property of cross-complainant, to cross-complainant’s damage in the sum of $2,304.28; that cross-complainant purchased from plaintiff machine works certain dies, which, by the terms of a written contract, were to be “operable and complete”; that said dies when delivered were not as specified in the agreement and cross-complainant was damaged in the sums necessarily expended in making them “operable and complete.”
The trial court rendered judgment for plaintiff on the complaint for $886.91 and costs, judgment for the sum of $2,304.28 in favor of cross-complainant for the value of the scrap metal, and the sum of $1,601.76 expended by cross-complainant for making 12 and 14 inch dies operable. Plaintiff appeals from the judgment in favor of the cross-complainant.
In March, 1951, plaintiff Orange County Machine Works, which was engaged in the manufacture of tank heads and with
Appellant argues that the trial court’s finding that plaintiff appropriated the steel to its own use and that it was at all times the property of Republic is not supported or established by the evidence. While it is true that after Republic’s first demand for the scrap, it made no further demand therefor for some time after the delivery of materials by Machine Works had ceased in 1952, there is nothing in the record indicating that Republic transferred title to this scrap and there was evidence given by a dealer in such scrap that customarily the scrap belonged to the person who furnished the sheet steel. It also appears from invoices furnished by Machine Works that the heater heads and bottoms were made from “customer” material. Appellant contends that the parties adopted a practical construction of the agreement and that by reason thereof any scrap metal belonged to Machine Works. The fact that Republic did nothing further about the scrap steel after the telephone conversation until the conclusion of their business arrangements in March, 1952, does not in our opinion amount to an estoppel or an agreement to transfer title to the scrap to the Machine Works. Estoppel was not alleged or proved and cannot be here considered. (Bruner v. Van's Markets, 103 Cal.App.2d 135, 143 [229 P.2d 56].)
It is next contended by appellant that the trial court’s
The criticized findings are supported by substantial evidence and cannot be here disturbed. As was said in Mattoon v. Steiff, 123 Cal.App.2d 512, 513 [266 P.2d 920]:
“In reviewing the evidence, all conflicts must be resolved in favor of respondent, and all legitimate and reasonable inferences must be indulged in to uphold the judgment if possible. The power of the appellate court begins and ends with a determination as to whether there is any substantial evidence, contradicted or uncontradicted, which will support the conclusion reached by the trial court. When two or more inferences can be reasonably deduced from the facts, the reviewing court is without power to substitute its deductions for those of the trial court. (Estate of Bristol, 23 Cal.2d 221, 223 [143 P.2d 689].)”
Judgment affirmed.
Barnard, P. J., and Griffin, J., concurred.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.