Opinion ID: 622804
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Ground Lease Term

Text: The district court was faced with an obvious mistake in the Ground Lease. The purported term, “a term of twenty-three (23) years, beginning 7 January, 1985, and ending 6 January, 2007,” can only be a mistake because the relevant parts of the term are mutually inconsistent—the time span between the beginning and ending dates is twenty-two years, not twentythree. Reformation is an equitable remedy properly used to correct a mistake. See North Star Alaska v. United States, 14 F.3d 36, 37 (9th Cir. 1994). The question is which part of the term was the mistake—the ending date of 6 January 2007 or the 23-year length. [4] The district court determined that the ending date was the mistake, and that the parties intended a 23-year lease. Accordingly, the court reformed the contract. Polar Star has not shown clear error, so our court will not disturb that equitable remedy. Bentley Ranches, 732 F.2d at 1396.