Court Opinion

ID: 9533020
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:27:37.071293+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:53.955204
License: Public Domain

Dissenting Opinion by
Wright, J.:
I respectfully dissent. When this tenant remained in possession after March 1, 1958, the landlord had the option to treat her either as a trespasser or as a tenant for an additional term. As stated by President Judge Dannehowee in his well considered opinion, the conduct of the landlord was “consistent only with an election to treat the tenant as a trespasser”. The affidavit of default supporting the judgment in ejectment is expressly based upon the notice of January 17, 1958, and the tenant’s refusal to vacate on or before March 1, 1958. It refers to the rent thereafter as “the damages which plaintiff suffered by reason of defendant’s unlawful detention of the demised premises”. The instant lease does not authorize the confession of judgment for damages due to unlawful detention. The landlord should not be permitted both (a) to consider the lease terminated on March 1, 1958, so far as his amicable action in ejectment is concerned, and in the same proceeding (b) to consider the lease in effect by confessing judgment for rent subsequent to the stated termination date. Had the landlord elected to treat the tenancy as continuing under the lease, a further notice of his intention to terminate would have been required. It is my view that the order of the court below should be affirmed.