Richardson v. La Rancherita of La Jolla, Inc.

Defendants La Rancherita of La Jolla, Inc. (La Rancherita) and Louis Martinez (Martinez) appeal from the judgment awarding damages to plaintiffs based on the tort of intentional interference with a contractual relationship. The factual setting of this *77 case—the commercial dealings between a landlord and tenant—requires the drawing of the line between sophisticated negotiations necessary to strike a better deal and economic constraints on those negotiations imposed by the tort of inducing breach of contract. We affirm the judgment.

Factual and Procedural Background

The facts presented at trial are stated in the manner most favorable to the judgment. The factual issues raised in plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary judgment are discussed separately.

In 1971, plaintiff Breg, a California corporation (Breg), negotiated for the purchase of all fixtures, equipment and liquor license of a restaurant in La Jolla. Through Basilio Martinez acting on behalf of the lessor, La Rancherita, the former tenants’ interest in the original lease dated April 1, 1954, was assigned to Breg on terms contained in an addendum dated April 6, 1971. Breg lost money every year. In mid-December…

I respectfully dissent.

The trial court, in granting the challenged partial summary judgment, violated these elemental procedural rules governing the granting or denial of a summary judgment: (1) The trial court failed to discern a multitude of factual issues that precluded granting of the summary judgment; (2) The trial court overlooked binding precedent, a long-established rule of law pronounced by this court and instead relied upon a factually nonapplicable, legally questionable, criticized noncontrolling decision; and (3) In finding a cause of action, it created a radical innovation in substantive California tort law, discarded sound conceptual premises without authority or persuasive reason to justify the departure.

I

The precise question presented by this appeal is whether there has been an erroneous granting of a partial summary judgment. Whether substantial evidence supports the award of damages or the earlier granting of the partial summary judgment has no legal relevance where the error complained of is an erroneous granting of the motion for partial summary judgment. These were bifurcated proceedings. An erroneous grant of summary judgment does not become subject to…

Defendants La Rancherita of La Jolla, Inc. (La Rancherita) and Louis Martinez (Martinez) appeal from the judgment awarding damages to plaintiffs based on the tort of intentional interference with a contractual relationship. The factual setting of this case — the commercial dealings between a landlord and tenant — requires the drawing of the line between sophisticated negotiations necessary to strike a better deal and economic constraints on those negotiations imposed by the tort of inducing breach of contract. We affirm the judgment.

The facts presented at trial are stated in the manner most favorable to the judgment. The factual issues raised in plaintiffs' motion for partial summary judgment are discussed separately.

In 1971, plaintiff Breg, a California corporation (Breg), negotiated for the purchase of all fixtures, equipment and liquor license of a restaurant in La Jolla. Through Basilio Martinez acting on behalf of the lessor, La Rancherita, the former tenants' interest in the original lease dated April 1, 1954, was assigned to Breg on terms contained in an addendum dated April 6, 1971. Breg lost money every year. In mid-December 1973, with shareholder…