Calvert v. Hobbs
Calvert v. Hobbs
Opinion of the Court
Early in 1903, defendant (in writing) leased a farm of one Girdner for a term of three years. He then sublet a house and a small tract of land (a part of the farm) to plaintiff for one year, but without the written consent of Girdner which the written lease expressly required. Defendant then without good cause prevailed upon Girdner to oust plaintiff by procedure under the statute. Girdner being absent in another State, defendant was the active manager of the ousting proceeding and employed the attorneys therein, though no party to the record. Plaintiff filed an answer to the proceeding, in which he alleged that Girdner should be estopped from taking advantage of the lease requiring written consent and should not be allowed to turn him out, for the reason that he, plaintiff, told Girdner that defendant had sublet to him the portion of the premises referred to and that Girdner told him it was all right, that defendant had a right to sublet it. That plaintiff relying upon this assurance did not look for other property which he might then have rented, and that it was, then, at time of the ouster proceedings, too late to secure another place. Plaintiff’s defense did not prevail and he was turned out of possession. He thereupon brought the present action before a justice of the. peace wherein he set up in his written statement as his cause of action the facts just stated as being in his answer to the ouster proceedings, viz: as to defendant’s subletting to him and then procuring Girdner to- dispossess him, but omitting any reference to the estoppel against Girdner.- He obtained judgment but on appeal to the circuit court the judgment was for defendant and plaintiff thereupon brought the case here.
At the trial in the circuit court it was ruled that the ouster proceedings of Girdner against this plaintiff were res adjudicata in this case, and a verdict was directed for defendant.
There was no authority to try Hobbs’ case in Girdner’s suit. We do not find room for application of authorities cited on res ad judicata in defendant’s favor to the facts of this case. The only questions properly concluded by the other case are, that Girdner did not estop himself from showing that he did not give written consent; and that plaintiff was dispossessed in a suit managed and instigated by defendant. It appears that defendant made affidavit to the complaint and he has admitted that he employed the attorneys and managed the case.
The question remains: Is the case stated by plaintiff a legal cause of action? The case is, in short, stated to be that defendant sublet the premises to him by agreement of which he performed his part and led him to believe that he could occupy them under the letting. But that after it was too late to get other lands, he procured Girdner, as landlord, to take advantage of the lack of his written consent and to dispossess him. If the case can be substantiated by evidence he is entitled to recover.
The judgment is reversed and the cause remanded.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.