Proposed Jury Instructions Unlawful Detainer
Proposed Jury Instructions Unlawful Detainer
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SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
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COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES — UNLIMITED JURISDICTION
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SHABY FAMILY INVESTMENTS, LP ) CASE NO. 17SMUD00822
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)
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Plaintiff, ) PROPOSED JURY INSTRUCTIONS
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vs. )
14 ) Date: February 1, 2018
MARINA J BOYD ) Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: WE-S
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)
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Defendant. ) Assigned to: Hon. Mark Young, Judge Presiding
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18 ___________________________________ )
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15 1. Marina J Boyd gave notice to Shaby Family Investments of one or more conditions on the
16 premises in need of repair;
17 2. Shaby Family Investments did not make the requested repairs within a reasonable time after
18 receiving notice;
19 3. Marina J Boyd spent $1,005 to make the repairs and gave Shaby Family Investments notice of
20 $620 of the total expenditure;
21 4. Shaby Family Invesments did not give Marina J Boyd credit for this amount against the rent that
22 was due; and
23 5. Marina J Boyd had not exercised the right to repair and deduct more than once within the 12
24 months before the month for which the cost of repairs was deducted from the rent.
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26 If Marina J Boyd acts to repair and deduct more than 30 days after the notice, she is presumed to
27 have waited a reasonable time. This presumption may be overcome by evidence showing that a
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17 Marina J Boyd’s failure to meet these requirements does not necessarily mean that the property
18 was not habitable. The failure must be substantial.
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15 California Health and Safety Code 17920.3(a)(13) Visible mold growth, as determined by a health
16 officer or a code enforcement officer, as defined in Section 829.5 of the Penal Code, excluding the
17 presence of mold that is minor and found on surfaces that can accumulate moisture as part of their
18 properly functioning and intended use.
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20 Marina J Boyd’s failure to meet these requirements does not necessarily mean that the property
21 was not habitable. The failure must be substantial.
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16 1. That Marina J Boyd was not in default in the payment of her rent because she lawfully exercised
17 her right to repair and deduct when the landlord failed to do so, and withheld rent due to
18 substandard habitability conditions which the landlord did not repair.
19 2. That Shaby Family Investments filed this lawsuit in retaliation because Marina J Boyd had
20 complained about the condition of the property to Shaby Family Investments and
21 3. That [name of plaintiff] filed this lawsuit within 180 days after September 6, 2017, the date on
22 which Marina J Boyd, in good faith, gave notice to Shaby Family Investments regarding the
23 conditions of the property.
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25 Even if Marina J Boyd has proved that Shaby Family Investments filed this lawsuit with a
26 retaliatory motive, Shaby Family Investments is still entitled to possession of the premises if it
27 proves that it also filed the lawsuit in good faith for a reason stated in the 3 day notice.
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IMPLIED WARRANTY OF HABITABILITY
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It is now well settled that the tenants' duty to pay rent is mutually dependent upon the landlord's
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fulfillment of his implied warranty of habitability.
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3 DAY NOTICE OF TERMINATION OF TENANCY
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“summary nature of unlawful detainer requires strict adherence to statutory
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requirements”
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Requested by Plaintiff X Requested by Defendant Requested By
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Given as Requested Given as Modified Given on Courts Motion
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Refused
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Withdrawn Judicial Officer
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IMPLIED WARRANTY OF HABITABILITY
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“The tenant's obligation to pay rent and the landlord's warranty of habitability are
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mutually dependent. If the tenant can prove such breach by the landlord, he may
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demonstrate that his nonpayment of rent was justified and that no rent is in fact 'due
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and owing' to the landlord”
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“Under such circumstances, of course, the landlord would not be entitled to
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possession of the premises”
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12 “As noted above, one of the statutory requirements for an unlawful detainer is the
13 service of a three-day notice stating the amount of past-due rent. (§ 1161, subd. 2.)”
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15 “The amount of rent must be stated accurately. “A notice that seeks rent in excess of
16 the amount due is invalid and will not support an unlawful detainer action”
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11 A condition involving a forfeiture must be strictly interpreted against the party for
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whose benefit it is created, because unlawful detainer is an action seeking forfeiture
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and is a summary proceeding in which the defendant’s normal procedural rights are
15 limited, the courts strictly construe the statutory procedures that regulate unlawful
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detainers and require strict compliance with all statutory requirements.
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22 tenant’s right to possession, one of the matters that must be pleaded and proved for
23 unlawful detainer is that the tenant remains in possession of the premises. Obviously
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this cannot be established where the tenant has surrendered the premises to landlord
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26 prior to the filing of the complaint. In such a situation the landlord’s remedy is an
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10 VF-4301.
11 TERMINATION DUE TO FAILURE TO PAY RENT – AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE –
12 BREACH OF IMPLIED WARRANTY OF HABITABILTY
13 We answer the questions submitted to us as follows:
14 1. Did Marina J Boyd fail to make at least one rental payment to Shaby Family Investments as
15 required by the lease? 1. _____Yes _____No.
16 If your answer to question 1 is yes, then answer question 2. If you answered no, stop here, answer
17 no further questions, and have the presiding juror sign and date this form.
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19 2. Did Shaby Family Investments, LP properly give Marina J Boyd a written notice to pay the rent
20 or vacate the property at least three days before September 27, 2017? 2. _____Yes _____No
21 If your answer to question 2 is yes, then answer question 3. If you answered no, stop here, answer
22 no further questions, and have the presiding juror sign and date this form.
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24 3. Was the amount due stated in the notice no more than the amount that Marina J Boyd actually
26 If your answer to question 3 is yes, then answer question 4. If you answered no, stop here, answer
27 no further questions, and have the presiding juror sign and date this form.
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28 4. Did Marina J Boyd pay [or attempt to pay] the amount stated in the notice within three days
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2 answer no further questions, and have the presiding juror sign and date this form.
3 5. What is the amount of unpaid rent that Marina J Boyd would owe to Shaby Family Investments
6 5. Include all amounts owed and unpaid from August 16, 2017 through September 15, 2017, the
9 6. Did the Shaby Family Investments, LP fail to provide substantially habitable premises during
10 the time period for which Marina J Boyd failed to pay the rent that was due? 6. _____Yes _____No
11 6. If your answer to question 6 is yes, then answer question 7. If you answered no, answer question
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14 substantially with Shaby Family Investments, LP’s ability to make necessary repairs?
15 7. _____Yes _____No
16 If your answer to question 7 is yes, then answer question 8. If you answered no, [stop here, answer
17 no further questions, and have the presiding juror sign and date this form. The court will determine
the amount by which the rent due found in question 5 should be reduced because of uninhabitable
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conditions/skip question 8 and answer question 9].
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8. What are Shaby Family Investments, LP’s damages? $________________________
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8. Determine the reasonable rental value of the property from September 18, 2017, the date of
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expiration of the three-day notice, through ____________________.
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Total Damages: $_______________________.
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9. What is the amount of reduced monthly rent that represents the reasonable rental value of the
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property in its uninhabitable condition? $________________________.
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Signed: Presiding Juror:________________________________
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2 After [this verdict form has/all verdict forms have] been signed, notify the [clerk/bailiff/court
3 attendant] that you are ready to present your verdict in the courtroom.
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TERMINATION FOR FAILURE TO PAY RENT
11 Shaby Family Investments, LP claims that Marina J Boyd no longer has the right to occupy the
property because Marina J Boyd has failed to pay the rent.
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To establish this claim, Shaby Family Investments, LP must prove all of the following:
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16 3. That under the lease Marina J Boyd was required to pay rent in the amount of $2500 per month;
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4. That Shaby Family Investments, LP properly gave Marina J Boyd three days’ written notice to
18 pay the rent or vacate the property;
19 5. That as of [date of three-day notice], at least the amount stated in the three-day notice was due;
20 6. That Marina J Boyd did not pay the amount stated in the notice within three days after receipt
of the notice; and
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6 “Proper service on the lessee of a valid three-day notice to pay rent or quit is an essential
prerequisite to a judgment declaring a lessor’s right to possession under section 1161, subdivision
7 2. A lessor must allege and prove proper service of the requisite notice. Absent evidence the
requisite notice was properly served pursuant to section 1162, no judgment for possession can be
8 obtained.”(Liebovich v. Shahrokhkhany (1997) 56 Cal.App.4th 511, 513 [65 Cal.Rptr.2d457],
internal citations omitted.)•
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