Skaggs v. Emerson
Skaggs v. Emerson
Opinion of the Court
We shall assume that the demand on notice of the 18th of September, 1873, was in proper time.
If a landlord is unable to give possession of all the lands described in the lease, and the tenant chooses to accept part, he may be compelled to pay the reasonable value of the use and occupation of that part. In such case the lease may be regarded as abandoned by both parties. (Camarillo v. Fenlon, supra.) But the position of the present defendant is different. The lease was not terminated by the wrongful eviction by the landlord of the lessee; he still continued to occupy the part from which he had not been evicted, under and by virtue of the written lease. (Leishman v. White, 1 Allen, 489.) He retained the right to occupy until the expiration of the term, paying no rent while the partial eviction continued. As he was not liable to pay rent if the averments of the answer were true, the lease was not forfeited by reason of the non-payment, whatever notice or demand was given or made.
Order overruling defendant’s demurrer to plaintiff’s amended complaint; order sustaining plaintiff’s demurrer to defendant’s answer, and order overruling defendant’s objec
Mr. Chief Justice Wallace did not express an opinion.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- ALEX SKAGGS v. P. N. EMERSON
- Cited By
- 21 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Landloed and Tenant.'—If a tenant is forcibly evicted from a substantial part of the demised premises, by the landlord, and the lease is not terminated, but the tenant still continues to occupy, under the lease, the part of which he retains possession, the tenant cannot be compelled to pay the rent reserved, for, in such case, there can be no apportionment of rent. Unlawful Detainee.—If a tenant is forcibly evicted by the landlord from a substantial part of the demised premises, but still continues to occupy the remainder under the lease, the landlord cannot, under the Unlawful Detainer Act, recover possession from the tenant by reason ot nonpayment of rent while the eviction continues.