H. B. Claflin Co. v. Simon
H. B. Claflin Co. v. Simon
Opinion of the Court
This action was brought to recover upon ten separate and distinct causes of action set forth in the complaint. The first four causes of action are based upon promissory notes due at the time the cause of action was commenced; the five following causes of action are based upon notes not due at the time the action was begun, and the last cause of action was for goods sold and delivered for an agreed amount, part of which was due and part not due when the action was commenced. Each of the causes of
It is contended that the complaint does not set forth the facts constituting the fraud named as the basis of the action when the attachment proceedings were commenced under Sec. 3308, C. L. U. 1888. Where the debt is not due the allegations necessary to make in the affidavit for attachment with reference to the fraud must also be included in the complaint, with the addition that the facts constituting the fraud must be specifically stated and embraced in the complaint in order to constitute it a proper pleading. It is not sufficient to charge fraud in general terms. The nature of the fraud must be set out.
In the case of Selz, Schwab & Co. v. Tucker, 10 Utah, 132, where a similar question was before this court, it was said:
In the case of Wilson v. Sullivan, 53 Pac. Rep. 995, 17 Utah-, this court held:
“Fraud, when relied upon as a defense, must be specifically pleaded in an answer as well as in a complaint, and the-facts and circumstances relied upon should be set out in order that the court may know whether there was such fraud as will be of avail to the pleader, and also that the party charged with fraud may know the nature of the charge and be prepared to meet it. The allegation referred to amounts to a legal conclusion as constituting fraud, and presents no issue of fact as it does not set forth the specific fact which constituted the alleged fraud.”
The grounds for attachment as stated in the affidavit are not contained in the complaint. This is a defect that cannot be safely overlooked. The mere statement in the complaint of the statutory ground for attachment does not comply with the rules of pleading laid down by this
These grounds for attachment emanate from the statute. At the time of issuing the summons, or at any time thereafter, attachment proceedings may be instituted if a statutory cause therefor exists. The allegations of fraud required in the affidavit for attachment are also, although in a more specific form, necessary to the complaint, and they continue to be necessary allegations through every stage of the proceeding. These allegations of fraud, where an action is based or is dependent upon attachment proceedings under the statute, must be specifically set forth in the complaint the same as in any other complaint where fraud is alleged and becomes a necessary element in the proceeding. When alleged they must be proved like any other fact to authorize the judgment, and unless they were true at the time of the commencement of the action, there was no jurisdiction for a premature suit, and the proceeding must fail. By proceeding under the statute, the complaining party obtains a lien upon the property of the debtor and holds it for the satisfaction of the judgment. Ele is not required to await the procurement of the judgment before his lien attaches, as would be the case if he commenced his action without availing himself of the provisions of the statute against the fraudulent acts
On page 193, Maxwell on Code Pleading, the author says:
“An allegation of fraud without a statement of the facts constituting the fraud is not sufficient. The reason is, fraud is a conclusion of law, and it is insufficient to allege that an act was affected by fraud, as that a deed was obtained by fraud, unless the things done constituting such fraud are stated on the face of the pleading. This is a very old rule, and the current of authority sustaining it is almost unbroken. The use of epithets, however bountifully multiplied, will not supply the place of facts. Wilson v. Sullivan, 53 Pac. Rep. 995; 17 Utah, ( — ) and cases cited; Selz, Schwab & Co. v. Tucker, 10 Utah 132; Cox v. Dawson, 2 Wash. St. 381; Castle v. Boder, 23 Cal. 76; Kinder v. Macy, 7 Cal. 206; Pehrson v. Hewett, 79 Cal. 598.
2d. Under Sec. 3219 C. L. U. 1888, Sec. 2960 R. S. 1898,
Under Sec. 2961 R. S. 1898, several causes of action of specified classes may be united in the same complaint, and each cause of action must be separately stated. The causes of action required to be separately stated, are such as by law entitle the plaintiff to separate actions, and each of which should be a perfect cause of action in itself. When so joined each cause of action must be clearly and explicitly stated, and must be perfect in itself. Each of such separate causes of action should contain a demand for relief which plaintiff claims; although under our statutes it is permissible to attach such a demand for relief at the close of the complaint, and specifically make demand for such relief as plaintiff claims in each of the several causes of action theretofore inserted and referred to by number. 1 Estee Pl. Sec. 314; Buckingham v. Waters, 14 Cal. 146; Clark v. Farley, 3 Duer. 645; Watson v. S. F. Co. 41 Cal. 17; Sturgis v. Burton, 8 Ohio St. 215; Coy v. Kidd, 37 Cal. 283, 317.
As before stated there are ten separate causes of action attempted to be set out in this complaint. There is no demand of the amount or relief claimed attached to or forming part of any one of these ten separate causes of action. The only demand for relief or judgment claimed in the complaint is at the end of the complaint, and this does not specify what, or if any relief is claimed in each cause of action, but demands a fixed sum upon the whole complaint, without reference to either of the causes of action referred to. This demand reads as follows:
“Plaintiff further alleges that by reason of the ten causes of action hereinbefore set forth, there is now justly
Wherefore, plaintiff prays for judgment against the said defendants, for the sum of $15,112.82, with interest thereon from the time of the commencement of this action, together with its costs and disbursements herein.”
We have already held that the demurrer was properly sustained to the 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 causes of action. Under the rules of pleading this appellate court cannot well apportion the $15,112.82, claimed as damages at the close of the complaint to the 1, 2, 3, and 4th causes of action contained in the complaint wherein the debt was all claimed to be due. No demand for judgment in any amount was claimed in the four causes of action. The relief granted the plaintiff, if there be no answer, could not exceed that demanded in the complaint. C. L. U. 1888, Sec. 3243; Raun v. Reynolds, 14 Cal. 19; Bohall v. Diller, 41 Cal. 535.
> There being no relief prayed for, none could be granted. Coy v. Kidd, 37 Cal. 285.
In the respect named the complaint was subject to the demurrer. Upon sustaining the demurrer the trial court gave plaintiff permission to amend its complaint in this respect, but the plaintiff refused to amend, stood upon its complaint and suffered judgment to pass against it.
We are of the opinion the court was correct in making the order sustaining the demurrer.
Many other errors are assigned by the appellant, but as the complaint was properly dismissed, they become unimportant.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- THE H. B. CLAFLIN COMPANY, a Corporation v. FRED SIMON, LOUIS SIMON and DORA STEARNS
- Status
- Published