Coyote Springs Guest Ranch v. Castaldi CA5

INTRODUCTION

In September 2011, appellant Alfonse Castaldi sued respondent Ken Baker to evict him from 2100 Old Highway, where Coyote Springs Guest Ranch operated. (Mariposa County Superior Court case No. 2630.) After that suit was settled, Baker filed a first amended complaint against Alfonse1 in the present case, alleging a dozen causes of action ranging from breach of contract to financial elder abuse.2 (Mariposa County Superior Court case No. 10063.) Baker’s suit alleged Alfonse fraudulently entered into a contract to finance a repurchase of the guest ranch property3 while not intending to perform according to its terms. Alfonse then allegedly breached that contract by (1) failing to perform according to its terms, (2) improperly recording a grant deed to the guest ranch property, and (3) filing the eviction lawsuit against Baker. In the suit, Baker also claimed that Alfonse and his daughter, Theresa Castaldi, trespassed on the guest ranch property, and that Theresa stole items from the guest ranch. For reasons we explain below, the core issue in this appeal is whether Baker’s causes of action against the Castaldis “arose” from Alfonse’s unlawful detainer action

1 We refer…