Richardson v. Callihan
Richardson v. Callihan
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
The second count in the second amended declaration is prolix and involved, but it contains sufficient matter of substance to uphold it as an action of trespass for appellee’s illegal ejection from premises to which he had title under a valid lease. The judgment in the former proceedings for possession of the premises, in unlawful entry and detainer, constituted no bar to the prosecution of the present action. The evidence shows that the appellant was the real promoter of and party to the unlawful entry and detainer case. Under § 4475, code of 1892, it is clear that the appellee was not precluded from prosecuting
The action of unlawful entry and detainer is a purely possessory one, and its sole office is to try possessory rights, while trespass and ejectment are actions involving inquiry as to title. The appellee might have sued in ejectment for the unexpired term, but he chose to waive that, and sue in trespass for his damages resulting from his eviction from premises to which his title was undoubted.
There was no error in admitting evidence of the rental value of the land, to aid the jury in estimating the damages of the plaintiff below.
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- W. H. Richardson v. D. T. Callihan
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- I. Landlord and Tenant, Trespass for wrongful ejection by landlord. Admerse judgment in unlawful detainer does not estop tenant. A judgment in unlawful detainer, in favor of one claiming under the same landlord, does not preclude the defendant therein from suing-his landlord in trespass for the damages occasioned by his conduct in wrongfully and fraudulently procuring- his ejection through the instrumentality of the plaintiff in unlawful detainer. 3. Same. Code 1893, § 4475, construed. The meaning of 3. Damages. Evidence of rental value admissible. Evidence of the rental value of the land from which plaintiff in the action of trespass was evicted, is admissible as an aid in the measurement of his damage.