Quandt v. Smith
Quandt v. Smith
Opinion of the Court
Tlie opinion of the court was delivered by
— This action was instituted by the respondents to obtain restitution of the premises described in the complaint, and damages for the unlawful detention thereof. The proceedings are under an act entitled “An act defining forcible entry, forcible detainer, and unlawful detainer of real property, and providing remedies therefor by summary proceedings.” Laws 1891, p 179; Bal. Code, §§ 5525-5552, inclusive. The second paragraph of the complaint is as follows:
“That heretofore, towit: on or about August 6, 1901, said plaintiffs leased to' said defendant those certain premises situated in the city of Seattle, King county, Washington, described as follows, towit: the saloon and premises known as the ‘Palmer House Cafe’ situated on the first floor of the building at the northeast corner of hlain street and Occidental avenue, now known as the ‘Palmer House Bar;’ that said premises were leased to said defendant for an indefinite time from month to month commencing on the 8th day of each month and ending on the 7th day of the following month'.”
It is further alleged that, more than twenty days prior to1 the expiration of a monthly period of said tenancy re
The appellant's first assignment of error is that the complaint does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. This objection was interposed at the commencement of the trial. The appellant urged that
The appellant assigns as error the entry of the judgment for restitution and for double damages on the verdict. Section 5510, Bal. Code, upon which the appellant relies, has no application to summary proceedings under the act' of 1891, supra. The section applicable to* the verdict in summary proceedings is § 5542, Bal. Code. ■ It provides, “If upon the trial the verdict of the jury, or if the case be tried without a jury the* finding of the court, be in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendant, judgment shall be entered for the restitution of the premises,” etc. nothing is said as to the form of the verdict. Here the verdict was in favor of the plaintiff for $175. Under the pleadings this amount was for damages for the unlawful detention of the property. Under § 5542, supra, the court was expressly authorized to pronounce a judgment for double this amount
The appellant set up as a separate defense that he entered into- a verbal agreement with the respondents whereby the premises were let to- him for the period of one year, from July 30, 1901, to the 29th of July, 1902, at the agreed monthly rental of $156 per mouth, to he paid on the 8th day of each and every month; that appellant has performed and kept the conditions to be performed by him. The reply denied the allegations of the answer as to the separate defense. The appellant attempted to show that, in addition to the $156 per month which he was to pay to the plaintiffs, he was to- pay to- the Seattle Brewing & Malting Company tlie sum of $50, on the 20th day of each and every mouth, for license money advanced by said Brewing & Malting Company when the license to carry o-n the business of selling spirituous liquors on the leased
The judgment of the court below is affirmed, with costs to the respondents.
Reavis, C. J., and Fullerton, IIadley, Anders, Dunrar and Mount, JJ., concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Herman Quandt et ux. v. C. M. Smith
- Cited By
- 4 cases
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- Syllabus
- UNLAWFUL DETAINER-SUFFICIENCY OF COMPLAINT. In. an action of unlawful detainer, tbe failure of the complaint to expressly set forth plaintiffs’ right of possession and leasing of tbe premises to defendant, would not subject tbe complaint to demurrer, where tbe notice to quit, wbicb was attached to and made a part of tbe complaint by reference, notified defendant, as tbe tenant in possession, to quit the premises wbicb be beld under a tenancy terminating on a date named, and notifying bim if be remained in possession thereafter be would be ousted under tbe provisions of the law relating to unlawful detainer. SAME-JUDSMENT-SUFFICIENCY OF VERDICT TO UPHOLD DOUBLE DAMAGES. The court is warranted in giving judgment for double damages on the verdict in an action of unlawful detainer, where tbe verdict is general, according to a form prepared by tbe court, and no exception was taken thereto at tbe time of its submission to the jury, since under Bal. Code, § 5542, the court could pronounce judgment for double the amount of the verdict, as well as for a restitution of the premises. TRIAL-IMPROPER EXCLUSION OF TESTIMONY-HOW CURED. Error committed by the court in excluding testimony when first offered is cured by subsequently permitting its introduction.