Opinion ID: 1414388
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: sutherland's fifth claim for relief against brown

Text: The district court's judgment provided that Sutherland's counterclaims against Gross and his cross-claims against the other defendants were dismissed with prejudice. But, Brown failed to respond to Sutherland's cross-claims. Consequently, the clerk filed an entry of judgment against Brown. On appeal, Sutherland argues that Brown's failure to answer constituted an admission of the complaint. Based on those allegations, Sutherland contends that he is entitled to a judgment against Brown for conspiring with Gross, Gray and the Copelands to deprive Sutherland of his interest in the Apartments. Moreover, Sutherland maintains that during November 1985, Brown accepted a power of attorney from Sutherland to consummate a sale of Sutherland's interest in the property. Instead, Brown negotiated a deal which resulted in the sale of Brown's interest for $30,000 cash, without any payment to Sutherland. Thus, Sutherland argues that the conspiracy caused Brown to breach his fiduciary duty to Sutherland. Finally, Sutherland claims that Brown failed to repay Sutherland $25,000 which he advanced for expenses in renovating the property during the time when Brown owned the Apartments. However, the answer of a co-defendant inures to the benefit of a defaulting defendant when there exists a common defense as to both of them. Paul v. Pool, 96 Nev. 130, 132, 605 P.2d 635, 636 (1980). Likewise, when the defenses interposed by the answering co-defendant call into question the validity of plaintiff's entire cause of action and when such defenses prove successful, the defenses inure to the benefit of the defaulting co-defendant. Kooper v. King, 195 Cal. App.2d 621, 15 Cal. Rptr. 848, 852 (1961) (citations omitted). Consequently, the plaintiff cannot take judgment against the defendant in default. Id. In the instant case, the respondents, other than Brown, answered Sutherland's counterclaims and cross-claims, and they successfully defended the allegations against them. The district court concluded that no conspiracy existed among Gross, the Copelands, Gray and Western to interfere with the contractual relationship between Sutherland and Brown. As well, the court concluded that Sutherland failed to meet his burden of proving his claims for quiet title and conspiracy to breach a fiduciary duty. Therefore, the district court properly dismissed these claims against Brown as well as the other respondents. However, Sutherland's fifth claim for relief demanded from Brown $25,000 advanced to him. Since no common defense existed between Brown and the other respondents as to this claim, Brown could not benefit from their successful defense. Accordingly, we reverse the district court's dismissal with prejudice of Sutherland's fifth claim for relief against Brown, and we remand this claim for proceedings consistent with our opinion. We affirm the district court's judgment in all other respects.