California Civil Procedure Before Trial 23 Demurrers I.INTRODUCTIONA. Scoe of C!a"er 23.#B. $a% &overnin' Demurrers23.2II. D()URR(RS D(SCRIB(DA.Use of Demurrers 23.3B.&eneral and Secial Demurrers Dis"in'uis!ed 23.*C.Availa+ili", of Demurrers 23.-D.Tac"ical Considera"ions 23..(.Al"erna"ives "o Demurrer 23./#.Ans%er 23.02.)o"ion "o S"ri1e 23.23.An"i3S$APP )o"ion 23.#4*. )o"ion for 5ud'men" on Pleadin's 23.##-. )o"ion for Summar, 5ud'men" or Summar, Ad6udica"ion 23.#2..)o"ion "o Dismiss 23.#3/.Discover, 23.#*0.O+6ec"ion "o (vidence 23.#-III.D()URR(R TO CO)P$AINTA.Timin' for Demurrer#. 7!en "o 8ile Demurrer 23.#.2.Avoidin' Defaul" 23.#/3.Consider 8ilin' Ans%er Simul"aneousl,23.#0B.Prearin' Demurrer #.)ul"ile Par", 9aria"ions23.#22.S"a"in' &rounds Seara"el, 23.243.Demurrin' "o All or Par" of Comlain"23.2#*. Re:ues"in' 5udicial No"ice23.22C.&rounds 8or Demurrer23.23#.)a""ers on 7!ic! &rounds Based23.2*2.&rounds T!a" Are No" 7aived23.2-D.S"a"in' Secific &rounds; (o%ever= "!e cour" ma, overrule a 'round of demurrer s"a"ed a'ains" "!e %!ole ans%er if "!e ans%er con"ains several defenses= one of %!ic! is no" demurra+le. -ich v *reeley H#02.J ##2 C #/#= #/3; South Shore Land Co. v etersenH#2.*J 22. CA2d /2-= /3*.PRACTICE TIP:If "!e ans%er con"ains more "!an one defense= counsel mus" secificall, indica"e "!e defense "o %!ic! "!e 'round for demurrer alies= e.g., K"!e firs" defense is uncer"ain.L Cal Rules of C" 3.#324HaJ.G23.*-#.8ailure "o S"a"e 8ac"s Sufficien" "o Cons"i"u"e DefenseT!e NNOans(er7first defensePNN does no" s"a"e fac"s sufficien" "o cons"i"u"e a defense.T!is 'round for o+6ec"ion "o an ans%er under CCP G*34.24HaJ is some"imes called a 'eneral demurrer and s!ares man, c!arac"eris"ics %i"! a 'eneral demurrer "o a comlain"= i.e., "!e o+6ec"ion is no" %aived +, failure "o raise i" +, demurrer. T!e cour" ma, sus"ain a 'eneral demurrer "o a defense "!a" "!e la% does no" reco'niMe= "!a" lac1s essen"ial alle'a"ions of fac"= or "!a" is s"a"ed in "!e form of conclusions. See 4niversal Land Co. v All ersonsH#2-2J #/2 CA2d /32= /*#; ,oudall v 'aufman H#22#J -- CA 3.3= 3.0.A defense "!a" is +arred +, a s"a"u"e of limi"a"ions is also demurra+le on "!ese 'rounds. %radbury v +igginson H#2#*J #./ C --3= --/; 4niversal Land Co., #/2 CA2d a" /*2. If a s"a"u"e of limi"a"ions is "!e +asis of "!e demurrer= "!e follo%in' lan'ua'e ma, +e used "o s"a"e "!is 'round for o+6ec"ionCT!e NNOans(er7first defensePNN does no" s"a"e fac"s sufficien" "o cons"i"u"e a defense in "!a" "!e defense is +arred +, NNOe.g., Code of Civil rocedure 89;@PNN.G23.*.2.Uncer"ain",T!e NNOans(er7first defensePNN is uncer"ain in "!a" NNOs$ecify nature of uncertainty, e.g.PNNC#. I" canno" +e ascer"ained %!en "!e alle'ed release %as 'iven or +, %!om.2. Alle'a"ions "!a" aear "o rela"e "o o"!er ossi+le defenses are min'led %i"! alle'a"ions rela"in' "o a claimed release.3. $ines #4 "!rou'! 24 are unin"elli'i+le.NOTE:KUncer"ainL includes am+i'uous and unin"elli'i+le. CCP G*34.24H+J.A demurrer on "!is 'round mus" secif, in %!a" %a, "!e ans%er is uncer"ain. See= e.g., Coons v .hom$sonH#2*.J /- CA2d .0/= .24.G23.*/3.Uncer"ain 7!e"!er Con"rac" 7ri""en or OralI" canno" +e ascer"ained from "!e ans%er %!e"!er "!e con"rac" leaded in "!e NNOans(er7first defensePNN is %ri""en or oral.Comment?See CCP G*34.24HcJ. 8or discussion of demurrin' "o comlain" on "!is 'round= see G23.3..G23.*0C.Timin' for Demurrer "o Ans%erIf counsel decides "o demur "o an ans%er Hor amended ans%erJ= "!e demurrer s!ould +e filed %i"!in #4 da,s af"er service of "!e ans%er. CCP GG*34.*4H+J= */#.-H+J. On "!e defendan"@s mo"ion= "!e cour" can s"ri1e a la"e3filed demurrer. See G2*...Addi"ional "ime "o file ma, +e o+"ained +, s"iula"ion from defense counsel= or +, e< ar"e alica"ion "o "!e cour". CCP GG*/3= #4-*; Cal Rules of C" 2.24. >o%ever= counsel s!ould c!ec1 local rules for an, limi"a"ions on "!e a+ili", "o s"iula"e "o e(ARIN& PROC(DUR(SG23..4A.)o"ion for Reconsidera"ionAf"er "!e cour" !as sus"ained a demurrer "o a comlain" or cross3comlain" %i"! or %i"!ou" leave "o amend= "!e lain"iff ma, re:ues" reconsidera"ion +, "!e cour" %i"!in #4 da,s. CCP G#440; Davis v StroudH#2*2J -2 CA2d 340= 3#-; 2ains v Su$erior Court H#20*J #-4 CA3d 233= 2*3= #20 CR 2*2 HCCP G#440 alies "o demurrersJ. T!e same rules al, "o a defendan"@s re:ues" for reconsidera"ion af"er "!e cour" !as overruled a demurrer "o "!e comlain" or sus"ained a demurrer "o an ans%er. A lain"iff or cross3comlainan" ma, re:ues" reconsidera"ion of a decision or an order overrulin' a demurrer "o an ans%er.On mo"ions for reconsidera"ion in 'eneral= see GG#2.#32I#2.#32.B. Demurrer "o Comlain" or Cross3Comlain"#. If Demurrer OverruledG23..#a.Ans%erIf i" !as overruled a demurrer= "!e cour" mus" allo% "!e oosin' ar", "o file an ans%er on Ksuc! "erms as ma, +e 6us".L CCP G*/2a.Ans%erin' af"er a demurrer !as +een overruled recludes aella"e revie% of "!a" decision un"il af"er 6ud'men" is en"ered in "!e ac"ion= unless "!e issue can +e raised +, erem"or, %ri" Hsee G23..3J. Ans%erin' does no" %aive fundamen"al defec"s of su+s"ance in "!e comlain". Overrulin' a demurrer "!a" raises suc! defec"s can +e ci"ed as reversi+le error on aeal. age v ageH#2.2J #22 CA2d -2/= -32.NOTE: If "!e defec" raised +, demurrer %as one of form= even a formal failure "o s"a"e a cause of ac"ion= ans%erin' and 'oin' "o "rial on "!e issues %aives "!e formal defec"s; an, error in overrulin' "!e demurrer is no" deemed re6udicial and reversi+le on aeal. %a&er v Miller H#223J #24 C 2.3= 2./; *oble v DotsonH#2.2J 243 CA2d 2/2= 202; age v age, su$ra. See 'enerall, - 7i"1in= California Procedure= leading G20- H-"! ed 2440J.G23..2+.Defaul" and AealAn order overrulin' a demurrer is no" aeala+le and can ordinaril, +e revie%ed onl, on aeal from a 6ud'men" in "!e ac"ion. See County of Santa %arbara v Su$erior CourtH#2/#J #- CA3d /-#= /-*. T!us= a defendan" %!o %an"s immedia"e aella"e revie% of an order overrulin' a demurrer mus" decline "o ans%er= suffer "!e lain"iff@s o+"ainin' a defaul" 6ud'men" under CCP GG-0-I-0/= and aeal from "!a" 6ud'men"= unless "!e eearin' 6ud'eC NNOif &no(nPNNAc"ion filedC NNOdatePNNTrial da"eC NNOif setPNNP$(AS( TAD( NOTIC( "!a" "!e demurrer filed %i"! "!is no"ice !as +een se" for !earin' on NNOdatePNN a" NNOtimePNN or as soon "!ereaf"er as "!e ma""er ma, +e !eard= in NNOde$artmentPNN of "!e NNOcourtPNN loca"ed a" NNOfull addressPNN.Da"eC NNNNNN NNOSignaturePNNNNO.y$ed namePNNA""orne, for NNOnamePNNComment? See G23.*0 on se""in' "!e da"e for !earin' in accordance %i"! Cal Rules of C" 3.#324HcJ and CCP G#44-.G23./. B. 8ormC Demurrer "o Comlain"NNOName of attorney> State %ar numberPNNNNOAddressPNNNNO.ele$hone numberPNNNNO!a3 number Bo$tionalCPNNNNO-earin' 6ud'eC NNOif &no(nPNNAc"ion filedC NNOdatePNNTrial da"eC NNOif setPNNNNOIn limited civil case, add? Amount demanded NNOe3ceeds7does not e3ceedPNN $10,000PNNDefendan"= NNOnamePNN= demurs "o eac! of "!e causes of ac"ion in "!e comlain" of NNOnamePNN on "!e follo%in' 'roundsCNNOState each ground for ob1ection se$arately in numbered $aragra$hPNN.Da"eC NNNNNN NNOSignaturePNNNNO.y$ed namePNNA""orne, for NNOnamePNNComment? California Rules of Cour" 3.#324HeJ re:uires "!a" "!e name of "!e ar", filin' "!e demEr and "!e name of "!e ar", %!ose leadin' is "!e su+6ec" of "!e demEr aear immedia"el, +elo% "!e case num+er. Some local cour" rules ma, re:uire an a"",@s cer"ifica"e of meri"s. If so= "!e follo%in' ma, +e laced +elo% "!e s"a"emen" of 'rounds and a+ove "!e da"e and a"",@s si'na"ureC KT!e undersi'ned cer"ifies "!a" "!is demEr is filed in 'ood fai"! and no" for "!e urose of dela,.L On )IS of demEr= see G23.30. On forma" of cour" aers 'enerall,= see c!a ##. 8or discussion of demurrer "o comlain"= see GG23.#2I23.32.G23.// C.8ormC Demurrer "o Cross3Comlain"NNOName of attorney> State %ar numberPNNNNOAddressPNNNNO.ele$hone numberPNNNNO!a3 number Bo$tionalCPNNNNO-earin'C NNOdate> timePNNDe@"C NNOnumberPNN>earin' 6ud'eC NNOif &no(nPNNAc"ion filedC NNOdatePNNTrial da"eC NNOif setPNNNNOIn limited civil case, add? Amount demanded NNOe3ceeds7does not e3ceedPNN $10,000PNNNNOlaintiff7Cross State %ar numberPNNNNOAddressPNNNNO.ele$hone numberPNNNNO!a3 number Bo$tionalCPNNNNO-earin' 6ud'eC NNOif &no(nPNNAc"ion filedC NNOdatePNNTrial da"eC NNOif setPNNNNOIn limited civil case, add? Amount demanded NNOe3ceeds7does not e3ceedPNN $10,000PNNNNOlaintiff7Crossearin'C NNOdate> timePNNDe@"C NNOnumberPNN>earin' 6ud'eC NNOif &no(nPNNAc"ion filedC NNOdatePNNTrial da"eC NNOif setPNNP$(AS( TAD( NOTIC( "!a" on NNOdatePNN= "!e Cour" NNOsustained7overruledPNN "!e demurrer of NNOe.g., defendantPNN= NNOnamePNN= "o NNOe.g., the com$laint, the first and third causes of action in the com$laintPNN and 'ave NNOe.g., $laintiffPNN= NNOnamePNN= NNN da,s from "!e da"e of service of "!is no"ice "o NNOamend7ans(erPNN "!a" comlain".OAdd if demurrer is sus"ainedPT!e Cour" sus"ained "!e demurrer NNOon the follo(ing grounds and terms7on the grounds and terms sho(n in the attached co$y of the Court=s NNOdecision7orderPNNPNN.OCon"inuePDa"eC NNNNNN NNOSignaturePNNNNO.y$ed namePNNA""orne, for NNOnamePNNComment? 8or discussion= see G23.-2.