Case ID: ohio-cc-ns_7/html/0515-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

CONTRACT FOR RENT OF PREMISES.
    [Circuit Court of Hamilton County.]
    Leopold Burckhardt v. Lewis H. Greene.
    
    Decided, 1902.
    
      Lease — Contract for, is an Entire Contract, When — One Breach and One Recovery — Part Performance — Statute of Frauds.
    1. Where a lease, is made of premises at a monthly rental and a six months’ term, the contract is entire and there can be but a single breach and recovery; and where the lessee refuses to enter, a recovery of judgment for the first month’s rent and its payment constitute a bar to further actions for recovery under the lease.
    2. The things done in this case were not of a character to take the contract out of the provisions of the statute, and being a contract affecting real estate and not in writing can not be enforced.
    Jelke, P. J. (orally); Gieeen, J., and .Swing, J., concur.
    
      
       Affirmed by the Supreme Court without report, 68 Ohio State, 711.
    
   This action was brought in a magistrate’s office for an installment of rent which it is alleged was arranged between Mr. Burckhardt and Mr. Greene for the occupancy of his residence in Mt. Auburn, for a period of six months, at a monthly rent of $100 per month. There are two defenses to this action. The first is that Mr. Burckhardt sued for the first month’s rent under this alleged contract, and recovered, and the judgment was paid. We are of opinion that the contract was an entire contract, although the rent was payable monthly, and that there was no .occupancy upon which there could be monthly recovery for occupancy. There was but one breach of an entire contract, and there could be but one recovery, and the recovery of the first $100 is a bar to anything further upon this contract.

Goebel & Bellinger,-ices: plaintiff in error.

Galvin <& Galvin, for defendant in error.

Further than that, the defendant has urged that it is a contract affecting real estate, and under the statute of frauds, it not being in writing, can not be enforced. The reply to that is that there was a partial performance, and allegations are that Mrs. Burckhardt prepared the house, made some changes preparatory to Mr. Greene’s occupancy, and let a former tenant go, and upon a certain date went and tendered the keys to' Mr. Greene.

There is one general principle laid down in Ohio, that anything done to take a contract out of the provisions of the statute of frauds must be done strictly with reference to the contract, and if the things done can be made referable to anything else, then they are not referable to the contract. Now, the small things done up there at the house are not of such a nature but that they might have been done under any circumstances, and it appears from the evidence that the former tenant, Judge Thompson, left at the expiration of his term, which expired some time before this six months’.period was to begin; and so far as the tender of the key is concerned, that it is not a performance; if it is anything, it is a tender of performance. Therefore, on the second ground, we are of opinion that there has been nothing done which would take the contract out of the provisions of the statute, and it being a contract affecting real estate, and not being in writing, can not be enforced.

Therefore, on both grounds, the judgment will be affirmed.