San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce v. Thomas

MOORE, P. J.

Respondent agreed to loan appellant $10,000 to be secured by a trust deed upon certain real property in San Bernardino County. Five thousand of such sum was to be used to pay off an existing trust deed on the property, the balance to be expended for improvements on buildings and a well located on the property. Respondent advanced $5,179.58 to pay off the trust deed and $2,252.27 for materials and labor on improvements. Subsequently, respondent discovered that the buildings and the well were not located on the property described in the trust deed given by appellant but on a contiguous parcel of 1/64 section also owned by appellant. Respondent instituted the instant action in Los Angeles County for reformation of the trust deed to include the land on which the improvements were located and for

[350]

$1,000 damages. It alleged that appellant had represented that the land in question was included in the description contained in the trust deed.

After appellant’s demurrer on the ground that the court did not have’ jurisdiction of the action had been overruled, appellant answered with the affirmative defense that respondent had refused to advance the full $10,000 and sought an order requiring it to pay the balance. After a trial of the factual issues, judgment was awarded to respondent in which it was ordered that the description in the deed of trust be changed as demanded by the complaint.

On appeal the argument is repeated that the superior court of Los Angeles County does not have jurisdiction over the subject matter of the action. A number of cases on the question of venue are cited but a motion for change of place of trial was never made, hence that question is foreclosed on appeal.

(Wadleigh

v.

Phelps,

147 Cal. 541, 542 [82 P. 200].) Appellant contends that jurisdiction in the present action is controlled by that part of article VI, section 5 of the Constitution which reads: “all actions for the recovery of the possession of, quieting title to, or for the enforcement of liens upon real estate or any part thereof, shall be commenced in the County in which the real estate, or any part thereof, affected by such action, or actions, is situated. ...” The present action is not for the purpose of obtaining possession of, or quieting title to property, or of enforcing a lien thereon. Hence, the quoted provision of article VI is not applicable. Such constitutional limitation on the jurisdiction of the court is to be strictly construed and its action is confined to those instances in which the complaint without reference to any pleading by defendant states a ease coming within the actions enumerated.