Graham v. Currier
Graham v. Currier
Opinion of the Court
This is an action brought to reform a contract for a deed and to lestrain the defendants from prosecuting an action for unlawful de-tainer pendente lite. The trial court issued an order based upon the pleadings herein, restraining the defendants and each of them from commencing or prosecuting any proceeding in unlawful de-tainer for the restitution of the premises described in the complaint, or to oust the plaintiff therefrom during the pendency of this action. From such order this appeal was taken.
It is alleged in the complaint that defendants and plaintiff entered into a parol agreement, whereby the defendants were to sell and convey by deed of warranty to plaintiff the premises described therein at the agreed price of $3,500, payable as follows: $50 October 25, 1918; $50 January 25, 1919; $50 April 25, 1919; $50 July 25,
The plaintiff alleges in his complaint that the purchase price of the house and lot in question was agreed upon at $3,500. There is no allegation in the answer to the contrary, except by way of general denial. From a reading of the contract as written, it clearly appears that it provides for the payment of $3,700 as .the purchase price, viz.: $1,900 in monthly payments of $30 each commencing August 25, 1918, the date of the contract, with interest on all deferred payments at 6 per cent, payable monthly, the assumption of the mortgage of $1,600, and in addition it also provides for the payment of $200 in $50 instalments. If the allegations of the complaint are true, the contract should be reformed before the unlawful detainer
On March 26, 1921, defendants caused to be served on plaintiff notice of cancelation of the contract, claiming that plaintiff was in default in payments to the amount of $296. Plaintiff in the reply denies that he was in default at the time of the service of the notice. After the time limited in the notice of cancelation, defendant brought an action in unlawful detainer against the plaintiff in the municipal court. The answer herein admits that the scrivener, in drawing the contract for deed, erroneously inserted the word “contract” instead of “warranty,” as alleged in the complaint, and that something over $1,100 had been paid upon the purchase price of the premises, but alleges that the written contract in all other respects conforms to the parol agreement. The granting of the restraining order was clearly within the discretion of the trial court and fully justified under the circumstances.
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- JOHN A. GRAHAM v. EMMETT D. CURRIER
- Status
- Published