Buckman v. Landers
Buckman v. Landers
Opinion of the Court
Action upon a street assessment in San Francisco. The finding of the court that Army street, upon which the work in question was done, is a public street is not specified in the statement as unsupported by the evidence, and the finding must therefore be accepted as correct.
Section 12 of the street law (Stats. 1889, p. 168) declares: “ The warrant, assessment, certificate, and diagram, with the affidavit of demand and nonpayment, shall be held prima facie evidence of the regularity and correctness of the assessment, and of the prior proceedings and acts of the superintendent of streets and city council upon which said warrant, assessment, and diagram are based, and like evidence of the right of the plaintiff to recover in the action.” In the absence of any other evidence, the prima facie character of this evidence was sufficient to sustain the finding of the court that the agent of the plaintiff went upon the lot assessed, and, while there, publicly demanded payment of the assessment. (Himmelmann v. Hoadley, 44 Cal. 213; Dyer v. Brogan, 57 Cal. 234.) The testimony that no personal demand was made upon the defendants did not impair the statement in the affidavit that demand was made upon the lot.
An appeal from the assessment that had been originally made for the work by the superintendent of streets was sustained by the board of supervisors, and the assess
The assessment was prima facie evidence that the contractor had fulfilled his contract to the satisfaction of the superintendent of streets, and, in the absence of any other evidence, the court was authorized to find in accordance therewith. The prima facie character of this evidence was not overcome by the certificate of the engineer. (Williams v. Savings etc. Soc., 97 Cal. 122.)
The record shows that the work was completed within the time fixed for its completion by the superintendent of streets and the subsequent extensions thereof authorized by the board of supervisors. It does not appear at what time the superintendent indorsed these extensions upon the contract, and the prima facie character of the documentary evidence introduced includes the “regularity and correctness” of his acts. It was not requisite that he should indorse an extension upon the contract before the expiration of the time originally fixed therein. (McVerry v. Boyd, 89 Cal. 304; Ede v. Knight, 93 Cal. 159.)
The judgment and order are affirmed.
Garoutte, J., and Van Fleet, J., concurred.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- A. E. BUCKMAN v. JOHN LANDERS
- Cited By
- 10 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Action upon Street Assessment—Finding—Public Street.—In an action upon a street assessment, where a finding that the street upon which the work was done is a public street is not specified in the statement as unsupported by the evidence, the finding must be accepted as correct upon appeal. Id.—Demand Made upon Lot—Prima Facie Evidence—Support of Finding—Want of Personal Demand.—The warrant, assessment, certificate, and diagram, with the affidavit of demand and nonpayment, are prima facie evidence, sufficient to support a finding of the court, that the agent of the plaintiff went upon the lot assessed, and while there publicly demanded payment of the assessment; and evidence that no personal demand was made upon the defendants does not impair the statement of the affidavit that the demand was made upon the lot. Id.—Error in Assessment—■ Omission of Lots—Appeal. —The omission from the assessment of a lot fronting on the street upon which the work was done does not render the assessment void upon its face; and any error in not including lots which should bear a part of the expenses can be corrected upon appeal to the board of supervisors; and a failure so to appeal deprives the property owners of a right to object to the omission in an action to foreclose the assessment against them. Id.—Completion of Contract—Assessment—Prima Facie Evidence— Certificate of Engineer.—The assessment is prima facie evidence that the contractor fulfilled his contract; and the prima facie character of this evidence is not overcome by the certificate of the city engineer that the grading was not done to the official line and grade. Id.—Extension of Time — Prima Eaoie Evidence of Regularity — Indorsement of Extensions—Expiration of Time Fixed.—Where the record shows that the work was completed within the time fixed for its completion by the superintendent of streets, and the subsequent extension thereof authorized by the board of supervisors, the warraut, assessment, and diagram are prima facie evidence of the regularity and correctness of his acts in indorsing the extension upon the contract; nor is it requisite that he should indorse an extension upon the contract before the expiration of the time originally fixed therein.