Hallak

This action arises out of the sale of a car wash business by defendants, cross-complainants and cross-defendants Shawkat Hallak and Nahida Hallak (the Hallaks) to plaintiff, cross-complainant and cross-defendant Quality Wash Group V, Ltd., a limited partnership. Quality sued the Hallaks for breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation based in part upon Quality’s discovery that the car wash improvements and business activities encroached on adjoining property. Quality also sought to hold the Hallaks liable as joint and several co-obligors on a promissory note (the Allan note) Quality assumed as part of the purchase price of the car wash and eventually paid off in settlement of the collection action brought by its holders against Quality and the Hallaks. The Hallaks filed a cross-complaint against Quality seeking to collect on a separate promissory note executed by Quality in favor of the Hallaks, also as part of the purchase price of the car wash (the Hallak note). All of these claims were tried in the court.

On appeal from a judgment in favor of the Hallaks on their cross-complaint to collect on the Hallak note and on Quality’s claims for breach of contract,…