Devoe

Devoe v. Devoe

Good Law
51 Cal. 543
Supreme Court of CaliforniaJuly 1, 1876No. 5229California303 words

Opinion

lead Opinion

Section 92 of the Civil Code provides: “Divorces must be granted for any of the following causes: “1. Adultery. 2. Extreme cruelty. 3. Willful desertion. 4. Willful neglect,” etc.

Section 93defines “adultery;” and 94 “extreme cruelty.”

Section 95 attempts to define the expression “willful desertion,” and 96, 97, 98 to set forth the different classes of fact Avhich may manifest such desertion.

Section 105 declares Avhat circumstances shall constitute “willful neglect,” dividing the neglect into two classes: *545 First. A neglect on the part of the husband to provide the wife with the common necessaries of life, he having the ability to do so; and, second, his failure to do so when he is unable, provided such inability has been caused by his idleness, profligacy or dissipation.

A complaint charging the defendant with “willful neglect” would be subject to general demurrer, because it would not comply with section 426 of the Code of Civil Procedure; it would not contain a “ statement of the facts.” This is not within the class of cases in which the charge is sufficient, if it follows the language of the statute, because section 105 contains a statement of the two sets of…

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