Oesterle v. Cohen
Oesterle v. Cohen
Opinion of the Court
This is an appeal from a summary judgment quieting title to real property.
Respondents Horace and Harriet Cohen initiated an action in district court on April 30, 1979. The complaint sought an order declaring that the Cohens are the owners of certain property in Clark County and that appellant Douglas Oesterle has no interest in the premises. An answer and counterclaim were subsequently filed. Oesterle alleged that he had a contractual right to purchase the parcels. The counterclaim requested that the district court specifically enforce the alleged agreement.
The parties thereafter filed cross-motions for summary judgment. The Cohens contended, inter alia, that Oesterle had abandoned the contract to purchase the real estate and that Oesterle, therefore, forefeited all of his rights under the agreement. Oesterle principally alleged that the contract created an equitable mortgage and that the Cohens should be required to follow the statutory procedures governing foreclosure. The Cohens’ motion was granted and an order was subsequently issued in their favor quieting title to the premises. This appeal followed.
It appears that the district court may have relied on City of Las Vegas v. Cragin Industries, 86 Nev. 933, 478 P.2d 585 (1970) in evaluating the propriety of granting summary judgment. In Cragin we stated that where cross-motions for summary judgment have been filed, the trial court may find that the litigants have conceded that there is no material question of fact. Pursuant to Cragin, the district court, therefore, may have been justified in concluding that no genuine issue of material fact existed.
After the appeal in the present case was filed, however, we decided Cheqer, Inc. v. Painters & Decorators, 98 Nev. 609,
Accordingly, the summary judgment granted in favor of the Cohens is reversed, the final decree quieting title in the Cohens is vacated, and the case is remanded for trial.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- DOUGLAS W. OESTERLE v. HORACE COHEN and HARRIET COHEN
- Status
- Published