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2 Cal. 515

Morse v. Roberts

California Supreme Court

Decided October 15, 1852

California Supreme Court · decided 1852-10-15

The plaintiffs, commissioners of the Funded Debt of the city of San Francisco, appointed under the act of the Legislature of 1st May, 1851, complain of defendants, because defendants of the one part, and John W. Geary and others, then being commissioners of the Sinking Fund of the city of San Francisco, created by an ordinance of the mayor and common council of the other part, entered into an agreement, dated the 13th February, 1851, whereby the said Commissioners of the…

Decided 1852-10-15

Heydeneeldt, Justice,

¶1delivered the opinion of the Court, with which Andebson, Justice, concurred.

¶2The District Court sustained a demurrer to the declaration on two grounds:

¶3First. That there is no averment that the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund had authority to lease the property.

¶4Second. That there is no averment that the lease is assigned to the plaintiffs.

¶5In both of these reasons the Court has erred. In regard to the first, it is enough to say, that the defendants admitted the authority of the plaintiffs when they took this lease. They went in by virtue of it, hold by virtue of it, and rest upon it to maintain and justify their possession. Like any other case of tenancy, they are obliged to acknowledge the paramount ownership of the lessors during the continuance of the lease; and no averment of the lessor’s right to lease is necessary as against them.

¶6In regard to the second ground of demurrer, the averment in the declaration is sufficiently clear and distinct.

¶7The judgment is reversed with costs, and case remanded.

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