Scoggins

Scoggins v. Kristoff

Good Law
158 Cal. Rptr. 244·1979 Cal. App. LEXIS 2118·96 Cal. App. 3d 771
Court of Appeal of CaliforniaSeptember 7, 1979Civ. No. 55755California1,256 words

Opinion

Lead Opinion

Hastings, J.

On March 26, 1975, defendant Joseph E. Kristoff (Kristoff) sold his 1968 Ford passenger car to defendant Thomas Francis Rafferty (Rafferty). Both parties testified that the car registration and the certificate of ownership were properly endorsed and delivered along with the car to Rafferty on that date, thus complying with Vehicle Code section 5602, subdivision (a).

On April 12, 1975, plaintiff Roger Eldon Scoggins suffered injuries when his motorcycle was negligently rear-ended by Rafferty while he was driving the 1968 Ford. Rafferty admitted his liability for the occurrence and is not a party to the appeal.

*774 Plaintiff seeks liability against Kristoff on the theory that he was the imputed owner of the vehicle on the day of the accident and liable under Vehicle Code section 17150. 2 It is plaintiff’s contention that the sale of the car by Kristoff to Rafferty had not been consummated because on the date of the accident there had been no compliance by Kristoff to Vehicle Code section 24007, subdivision (b) 3 requiring that a “smog device” had to be added to the motor vehicle before the sale was complete.

At trial plaintiff proposed jury instructions to support…

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