Paramount Motors Corp. of Pacific v. Title Guarantee & Trust Co.
Paramount Motors Corp. of Pacific v. Title Guarantee & Trust Co.
Opinion of the Court
This is an appeal from a decree dismissing an amended complaint, on motion, for want of equity. The allegations of the amended complaint .are substantially these:
That prior to November, 1924, the appellant was the owner of a 20-acre tract in Los Angeles county, Cal.; that on November 28, 1924, it entered into a contract with one Theron Walker, under the designation Theron Walker Engineering & Construction Company," to furnish the labor and material for the construction of a building on the tract for the sum of $17,000; that, be
The foregoing facts clearly state a cause of action in favor of the appellant. A threat is made by a trustee to sell trust property to satisfy a claim of $12,500 and interest, the greater part of which has already been paid, and no question of bona fide purchaser is involved. That a court of equity will enjoin such a sale and such a breach of trust on the part of the trustee does not admit of question. Wiltsie on Mortgage Foreclosure, § 945.
The only possible defect in the amended complaint is its failure to allege payment or tender of the balance due, and the absence of any such averment is sufficiently excused by an averment that $4,000 of the $17,000 was claimed as a bonus or premium for making the loan in question, that the Retention of such bonus or premium violates the usury laws of the state of California, and that the unpaid balance on the note does not exceed $285, no part of which is due. Norman v. Peper (C. C.) 24 F. 403.
The amended complaint was preceded by an original complaint- upon which an application for a temporary restraining order was made. The application for the temporary restraining order was heard upon affidavits and oral testimony, the restraining order was denied, and a motion to dismiss the original complaint for want of equity was granted. Realizing, perhaps, the inherent weakness of their position, counsel for the appellees now earnestly insist that this court should take into consideration, not only the amended complaint against which the motion to dismiss was directed, but also the original complaint and the affidavits filed on the application for the temporary restraining order. Under the authorities cited we might, perhaps, look to the original complaint, but can under no circumstances take into consideration the proofs taken on the hearing of the application for an injunction. The testimony there taken cannot be resorted to, either to bolster up or to defeat the cause of action set forth in the amended complaint. We have examined the original complaint, and, while there are some inconsistencies in the allegations of the two pleadings, these are unimportant, and we find
The decree is therefore reversed, and the cause is remanded, with instructions to overrule the motion to dismiss, and for further proceedings.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- PARAMOUNT MOTORS CORPORATION OF THE PACIFIC v. TITLE GUARANTEE & TRUST CO.
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published