Title: Olympia Sales Co. v. Long
Citation: 604 P.2d 919
Docket Number: 16216
State: Utah
Issuer: Utah Supreme Court
Date: December 11, 1979

604 P.2d 919 (1979) OLYMPIA SALES COMPANY, a Utah Corporation, Plaintiffs and Respondents, v. John LONG and John Long dba John's Kitchen Korner, Defendant and Appellant. No. 16216. Supreme Court of Utah. December 11, 1979. Michael W. Park of Park &amp; Braithwaite, Cedar City, for defendant-appellant. Dean L. Gray of Gustin, Adams, Kasting &amp; Liapis, Salt Lake City, for plaintiffs-respondents. HALL, Justice: Defendant appeals from the trial court's denial of his motion for a change of venue. On November 3, 1978, plaintiff filed a complaint in Salt Lake County against defendant, a resident of Iron County, alleging $6,485.84 due and owing on an open account. Plaintiff also filed an affidavit setting forth alleged business dealings between the parties. From that affidavit, it would appear that for approximately eight years, defendant has ordered and purchased *920 kitchen cabinets and other related products from plaintiff's place of business in Salt Lake County. It is alleged that on July 19, 1976, defendant refused and failed to pay what was then due and owing the plaintiff and subsequently the complaint under consideration was filed. Defendant filed a motion for change of venue and a memorandum in support thereof, although he failed to appear at the hearing on the motion. After hearing plaintiff's argument, the district court denied defendant's motion. Defendant filed a petition for interlocutory appeal which petition was granted. At the outset, it is important to note that the granting or denial of a motion for change of venue by the trial court is generally discretionary and the court's decision will not be altered unless it is shown by the challenging party to be arbitrary or capricious.[1] Without attempting to construe the court's ruling as being an abuse of discretion, defendant contends that he is entitled to have his case tried in the county of his residence (Iron County) as a matter of right. In so arguing, defendant relies upon U.C.A., 1953, 78-13-7 which provides in pertinent part as follows: Another statute which must necessarily be considered is U.C.A., 1953, 78-13-4 which reads as follows: This Court has interpreted predecessors of the above statutes on numerous occasions.[2] Defendant relies upon two of these cases in support of his position. He argues that this is an action on a contract not in writing which must be tried in the county of his residence.[3] In any event, he claims that there are no written documents naming the place of performance which, even under written contracts, gives him the right to have the case tried in the county of residence.[4] The case of Buckle v. Ogden Furniture &amp; Carpet Co.[5] is dispositive of the issue presented. In that case, defendant resided in Weber County and was sued in Salt Lake County for goods allegedly sold and delivered on an oral contract.[6] The motion for change of venue was denied by the trial court. In an unanimous decision, this Court reversed the trial court's ruling and remanded the case for trial in Weber County. Although it conceded that the cause of action in that case arose in Salt Lake County, the Court interpreted the predecessors of the above-cited statutes as follows: This Court having already ruled upon the precise question presented, the trial court's decision denying the motion for change of venue is reversed, with instructions to change the place of trial to Iron County. Costs to defendant. CROCKETT, C.J., and MAUGHAN, WILKINS and STEWART, JJ., concur. [1] Anderson v. Johnson, 1 Utah 2d 400, 268 P.2d 427 (1954), citing State v. Certain Intoxicating Liquors, 53 Utah 171, 177 P. 235 (1918). [2] See 97 A.L.R.2d Anno: Venue Contract Designating § 12. [3] Buckle v. Ogden Furniture and Carpet Company, 61 Utah 559, 216 P. 684 (1923). [4] Floor v. Mitchell, 86 Utah 203, 41 P.2d 281 (1935). Note, however, that the place of performance in a written contract may either be named expressly or by necessary implication. Atlas Acceptance Corporation v. Pratt, 85 Utah 352, 39 P.2d 710 (1935). [5] Supra, footnote 3. [6] As in Buckle, in the instant case there was no claim that defendant had contracted in writing to perform the obligation in Salt Lake County and both parties concede that it was an oral contract.