Court Opinion

ID: 9678544
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 06:22:41.324728+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:05.506206
License: Public Domain

ON REHEARING
Appellees now contend that the effect of the opinion, supra, is to overturn some of *605our pronouncements in Butler v. Olshan, 280 Ala. 181, 191 So.2d 7, and in Stephens v. Stephens, 280 Ala. 44, 189 So.2d 782, wherein these (and other) cases hold that by assigning error that the circuit court erred in sustaining demurrer, the appellant asserts and, therefore, assumes the burden of showing that all grounds of demurrer are bad, or, in other words, that no ground is a good ground.
We have no intention in this case of changing or disturbing the aforementioned pronouncements which we hold do not have application to a petition, as here involved, for a declaratory judgment. We have held by a long line of decisions that where a bill for a declaratory judgment shows a bona fide justiciable controversy, which should be settled, the demurrer thereto should be overruled, and a declaration of rights made and entered only after answer and on such evidence as the parties may deem proper to introduce on submission for final decree. East Gadsden Bank v. Bagwell, 273 Ala. 441, 143 So.2d 438(6); Adams Supply Company v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company, 265 Ala. 178, 182, 90 So.2d 284, 287(1); Roberts v. Roberts, 269 Ala. 441, 114 So.2d 139(1); 7A Ala. Digest, Declaratory Judgments, page 232, @^325.
If the complaint contains sufficient factual allegations to support a justiciable controversy between the parties, we do not think it is necessary for the appealing complainant to argue any of the grounds of demurrer except the ground which challenges the sufficiency of the factual allegations to support the justiciable controversy. These additional grounds may be treated as surplusage and inapposite to the permissible issue, that is, the existence of a justiciable controversy. To hold otherwise, would not only burden the appellants, but also this court. The central issue is the presence vel non in the declaratory complaint of factual allegations that present a justiciable issue between the parties. Defects otherwise subject to demurrer in other types of complaint are not the subject of demurrer in a declaratory petition.
If the complaint for a declaratory judgment contains sufficient factual allegations to present and support a justiciable issue, any conclusions drawn therefrom and alleged, pertinent to the factual allegations or independent of them, should also be treated as surplusage, and not subject to demurrer. A pivotal necessity is the presence in the complaint of factual allegations that give support to justiciable issues. However, we think the complainant, or his counsel, should not burden the complaint with unnecessary or irrelevant conclusions that have no place in the pleading, to the end that the complaint may be brief and concise, and not burden the respondent, his counsel, or the court with surplus allegations.
We pretermit consideration or discussion as to the rights of the accommodation endorser here made party complainant, to proceed alone with this petition and without the principal on the note. He is here joined with the principal in filing the complaint for a declaratory judgment. He is a proper party at least and is interested in the result of this suit. If the respondent insurance company pays the -debt, then the endorser is freed of an obligation to pay.
We think it unnecessary to detail the factual allegations that are present in the complaint shown on pages 101 et seq., of the transcript, and filed on February 2, 1967. Suffice it to say that there are factual allegations which support a justiciable issue for consideration of the court. These allegations are sufficient without the aid of conclusions drawn therefrom or giving effect thereto. The trial court erred in dismissing this complaint.
The foregoing extension of opinion was prepared by B. W. SIMMONS, Supernumerary Circuit Judge, and was adopted by the court as its opinion.
Opinion extended and application for rehearing overruled.
All the Justices concur.