Opinion ID: 1380015
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Propriety of the money judgments against defendant.

Text: Defendant finally attacks the money judgments awarded against him upon the grounds that the court included therein certain sums based upon issues not raised by the pleadings and that the court did not follow a procedure appropriate to taking an accounting. [12] With respect to the first point, defendant contends that although the complaint and cross-complaint requested an accounting only of the property embraced in the final decree of distribution in the estate of Mrs. Weber, the findings charge defendant with misappropriation of large sums of money belonging to Mrs. Weber that were not accounted for in her estate. He urges that these findings had no reference to the property listed in the decree of distribution in the estate or to rents, issues, and profits thereof; that evidence on these matters was introduced over his objection; and that the trial court acted in excess of its jurisdiction insofar as it based the money judgments thereon. There is no merit in this contention. The action concerns all the property received by defendant under the residuary clause of Mrs. Weber's will, and its scope is sufficiently broad to include property that should have been accounted for in her estate as well as that which was specifically mentioned in the decree of distribution. It does not appear that defendant was misled by the fact that plaintiffs asked only for an accounting of the property passing to him under the decree of distribution, and, further, he could have, but apparently did not, ask for a continuance of the trial in order to meet any unanticipated problems. [13] The action of the trial court, moreover, is in accord with the general rule that a court of equity, having once acquired jurisdiction, will adjust all the differences between the parties arising from the cause of action in order to do complete justice and prevent further litigation, whether or not the particular relief was requested. (See Smith v. Blodget, 187 Cal. 235, 242 [201 P. 584]; Vierra v. Fontes, 135 Cal. 126, 129 [66 P. 241]; Murphy v. Sheftel, 121 Cal.App. 533, 541 [9 P.2d 568].) It has been held that under this rule the court could properly order an accounting although the complaint did not ask for such relief. (Swan v. Talbot, 152 Cal. 142 [94 P. 238, 17 L.R.A.N.S. 1066]; see 1 Am.Jur. 306.) [14] Defendant's objections to the procedure of the trial court are equally without foundation. He urges that no accounting at all was taken but that the trial court erroneously left the entire matter to findings prepared by counsel, thus not permitting charges and credits to be considered and exceptions taken to specific items. In Whann v. Doell, 192 Cal. 680, 684 [221 P. 899], cited by defendant, the court said that an action for an account would not be properly disposed of by a mere statement of the balance due, without a reference, without an account, or without exceptions being taken to specific items, because in such event the aggrieved party could not successfully present his grievances to an appellate court. The court added, however: On the other hand, the contention that an account must be stated in accepted bookkeeping fashion cannot be maintained. ... Any procedure or record from which it can be intelligently ascertained what the issues were as to the controverted items and how these issues were disposed of by the trial court will suffice for the purpose, whether the matter appears from the findings, the decree or a bill of exceptions, showing the controversy, and the disposition thereof. ... In the present case the trial court received evidence showing in great detail all the items of property coming to defendant from Mrs. Weber and what defendant thereafter did with it. The court then ordered counsel on both sides to prepare findings that they thought appropriate, stating that the court would make its findings from those submitted by counsel. The findings thereafter adopted by the court listed, item by item, the properties received by defendant. After the judgment was rendered and upon motion for new trial the findings were amended and the money judgments were reduced from a total of $137,525.53 to a total of $93,206.26. The amended findings related not only to the charges against defendant but also included credits allowed him for various expenditures made by him for benefit of the property. This procedure was not prejudicial to defendant. All the items involved appear in the record and are subject to examination upon appeal as required by the Whann case. Defendant had ample opportunity to propose favorable findings and to object to those repared by plaintiffs. He had the further opportunity, which he apparently availed himself of, to suggest corrections in the findings on motion for new trial. The appeal from the order denying a new trial is dismissed. The judgment is affirmed.