Court Opinion

ID: 9632110
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 11:03:22.347204+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:29:41.838204
License: Public Domain

ELLETT, Justice:
(concurring in the re-, suit).
I concur in the result. However, I wish to point out that the cross-appeal involves the' refusal of the trial court to grant a motion for summary judgment declaring that the defendants were guilty of obtaining the money in question by false pretenses. Whether all of the elements involved in false pretenses were established by the record before the trial judge was a matter for his consideration. Apparently he did not feel that they were so established. This matter was not finally determined, and so the cross-appellants have no appeal as a matter of right as a result of the judge’s refusal to grant their summary judgment.
We allowed an intermediate appeal from a refusal to grant a summary judgment in the case of Foster v. Steed, 19 Utah 2d 435, 432 P.2d 60 (1967); and in Christensen v. Farmers Ins. Exchange, 21 Utah 2d 194, 443 P.2d 385 (1968), we held that it was not improper to require a contrary ruling to be entered by the trial court on an appeal from a summary judgment which terminated a case. However, we have not as yet said that a party can appeal as a matter of right from the denial of his motion for a summary judgment.
For the reasons given above, I concur in the holding of the main opinion.
*205However, I do not agree that the question of whether or not the money was obtained by false pretenses “has nothing to do with the subject of the instant action.”
Section 17a(2) of the Federal Bankruptcy Act provides in substance that a discharge in bankruptcy shall release a bankrupt from his debts except such as are liabilities for obtaining money or property by false pretenses. While neither defendant has as yet filed a petition in bankruptcy, it is wise for a creditor to have the trial court make a finding of false pretenses in a proper case. The reason for this is that in case of bankruptcy the creditor cannot show false pretenses when discharge is claimed except by the judgment rendered or by the record upon which the judgment is based. See annotation in 170 A.L.R. at p. 374. See also National Finance Company of Provo v. Daley, 14 Utah 2d 263, 382 P.2d 405 (1963), where at page 266 of the Utah Reports, 382 P.2d at page 407, it is said :
In our judgment it better comports with the orderly processes of justice to require the plaintiff to bear the responsibility of pleading, proving and claiming the full benefit of whatever character of cause of action he possesses in the original action and of being bound thereby, than to allow another trial upon the same cause of action raising issues which could have been dealt with in the original action. This rule also serves the purposes of the bankruptcy act and at the same time leaves the way open to guard against the discharge of debts of the character excepted from discharge if the facts so justify.
I presume the lower court will at trial make a determination of the question of, false pretenses, and if either party cares to appeal from that final determination, he or it may do so.