Goodrich v. Lathrop
Goodrich v. Lathrop
Opinion of the Court
This is an action hy a vendee to rescind a contract of sale of realty, and to recover money paid thereunder, upon the ground that the contract was executed through a mistake of fact. Judgment went for defendant, and this is an appeal from the judgment and order denying a new trial. Plaintiff, knowing that defendant had a certain lot for sale, went to examine the same, with a view to purchase, but by mistake looked at a different lot from the one defendant had for sale. She
Let the judgment be reversed, and the cause remanded for a new trial.
' De Haven, J., McFarland, J., Paterson, J., Sharp-stein, J., and Harrison, J., concurred.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- L. G. GOODRICH v. G. A. LATHROP
- Cited By
- 22 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Vendor and Purchaser — Contract oe Sale —• Mistake oe Pact — View oe Wrong Lot — Rescission.—Where a person, knowing that another has a lot for sale, goes to examine it, with a view to purchase, hut by mistake of fact views the wrong lot, and contracts to purchase without knowledge of the mistake, such person may rescind the contract upon discovery of the mistake, if the property can be returned by the vendee in substantially the same condition as when he received it. Id. — Construction oe Code — Rescission for Mistake — Restitution to “Same Position.”—■ Section 3407 of the Civil Code, forbidding rescission to be adjudged for mere mistake, “unless the party against whom it is adjudged can be restored to substantially the same position as if the contract had not been made, ” employs the words “ same position ” with reference to the subject-matter of the contract, and its requirements are fully satisfied if the property can be returned in substantially the same condition as when he received it. Id. — Depreciation in Value of Land Purchased. — The right of a vendee, under a contract for the purchase of land, to rescind the contract and to recover the money paid thereunder upon restoring possession of the land purchased in substantially the same condition as when he received it, upon the ground that the contract was executed through a mistake of fact, is not defeated by the fact that the land had largely depreciated in value between the making of the contract and the rescission. Id. — Equitable Compensation.—If in equity and good conscience the vendor in such a case is entitled to any relief from the vendee by reason of the mistake of the vendee, the court has full power to award compensation therefor, under section 3408 of the Civil Code. Id. —Negligence of Purchaser —Finding — “Neglect of Legal Duty” — Conclusion of Law — Omission to Find Facts. — Where the vendor, in the answer to the complaint for rescission, sets out various facts and circumstances tending to show that the mistakes of the purchaser in viewing the wrong lot and in making the contract, as alleged in the complaint of the purchaser, were occasioned by her own negligence, a finding by the court that “ these mistakes were caused by the neglect of a legal duty on the part of the plaintiff” is not a finding of fact upon such allegations, but is a conclusion of law, and the failure of the court to make any other finding thereon is error, for which a judgment in favor of the vendor will be reversed.