Waldecker v. Waldecker, 174 P. 36 (Cal. 1918). · Go Syfert
Waldecker v. Waldecker, 174 P. 36 (Cal. 1918). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
38 citation events across 2 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: Spaziani v. Millar (calctapp, 1963-05-02)
Treatment trajectory · 1924 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
1924 1975 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 7 distinct citers.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Spaziani v. Millar
Cal. Ct. App. · 1963 · confidence medium
(Bandy v. Westover, 200 Cal. 222, 230 [ 252 P. 593 ]; Waldecker v. Waldecker, 178 Cal. 566, 568 [ 174 P. 36 ].) The contention now made that, because of an alleged confidential or fiduciary relationship between Gerald and Mrs. Spaziani, the evidence does not support the conclusion of nonliability on the part of the defendants Millar, rests on a matter raised for the first time on appeal; involves an issue of fact not presented as such to the trial court; and may not be considered by this court.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Robinson v. Robinson
Cal. Ct. App. · 1962 · confidence medium
(Waldecker v. Waldecker, 178 Cal. 566, 568 [ 174 P. 36 ].) Not only did the parties expressly waive findings, but their stipulation amounted to a withdrawal of the issues raised by the pleadings and the matter was heard as a default.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Toland v. Bank of America National Trust & Savings Ass'n
Cal. Ct. App. · 1950 · confidence medium
(Waldecker v. Waldecker, 178 Cal. 566, 567 [ 174 P. 36 ].) No written objections to appellant’s petition were filed and the sole question before the court was the amount to be awarded for the support of the minor child.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) LaMar v. LaMar
Cal. · 1947 · confidence medium
A trial court’s duty to make findings of facts in a divorce case is predicated upon Civil Code, section 131, which provides: “In actions for divorce the trial court must file its decision and conclusions of law as in other cases. . . .” That duty, which is the same in divorce cases as in other cases (Waldecker v. Waldecker, 178 Cal. 566, 567 [ 174 P. 36 ] ; see Ungemach v. Ungemach, 61 Cal.App.2d 29, 39-40 [ 142 P.2d 99 ]) is to find ultimate rather than probative or evidentiary facts.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Lámar v. Lámar
Cal. · 1947 · confidence medium
Defendant contends that the general finding as to his alleged cruelty was insufficient to support the judgment in the absence of a waiver of specific findings, that there was no such waiver since he objected to the proposed general findings, and that therefore the trial court committed prejudicial error in failing to make specific findings as to defendant's cruelty. [1] A trial court's duty to make findings of facts in a divorce case is predicated upon Civil Code, section 131, which provides: "In actions for divorce the trial court must file its decision and conclusions of law as in other case…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Shepard v. Shepard
Cal. Ct. App. · 1924 · confidence medium
We are satisfied that the judgment must be reversed, and, inasmuch as no findings were required by reason of the default (Wa ldecker v. Waldecker, 178 Cal. 566, 568 [ 174 Pac. 36 ]), the reversal should carry directions to the trial court to enter' judgment in favor of the appellant.
discussed Cited "see" Keener v. Keener (2×)
Cal. · 1941 · signal: see · confidence high
See Waldecker v. Waldecker, 178 Cal. 566 [ 174 Pac. 36 ].) The judgment is affirmed.
GERTRUDE WALDECKER, Appellant,
v.
CARL R. WALDECKER, Respondent
L. A. No. 4493. Department One..
California Supreme Court.
Jul 25, 1918.
174 P. 36
GERTRUDE WALDECKER, Appellant, v. CARL R. WALDECKER, Respondent., Georgia P. Bullock, for Appellant., Respondent not represented.
Richards.
Cited by 19 opinions  |  Published
[*567] RICHARDS, J., pro tem.

This is an appeal from a judgment denying the plaintiff a divorce. The complaint in the action was in three counts, setting up, respectively, willful neglect, extreme cruelty, and desertion on the part of the defendant as grounds for a divorce. The defendant was served with process by publication and defaulted. After entry of such default the plaintiff proffered her proofs to the court, which, after hearing them, denied the divorce. In so doing the court simply made and entered its decree to that effect, but filed no findings of fact. The plaintiff appeals, urging two points as grounds for a reversal.

Her first point is that the failure of the court to make or file findings of fact was an error of procedure requiring a reversal under section 131 of the Civil Code and upon the authority of the cases of Perkins v. Perkins, 29 Cal. App. 68, [154 Pac. 483], and Nelson v. Nelson, 18 Cal. App. 602, [123 Pac. 1099]. Section 131 of the Civil Code reads in part as follows:

“In actions for divorce, the court must file its decision and conclusions of law as in other cases, and if it determines that no divorce shall be granted, final judgment must thereupon be entered accordingly. If it determines that the divorce ought to be granted, an interlocutory judgment must be entered, declaring that the party in whose favor the court decides is entitled to a divorce.”

The question here involved turns upon the meaning to be given to the phrase “as in other cases” in the above-quoted section of the code. In the consideration of this question it is to be noted that the section above quoted is to be found in the Civil Code, which code is not ordinarily to be construed as regulating procedure in civil actions, but rather as declaring substantive law. The Code of Civil Procedure is the place wherein the procedure to be followed in such actions is to be found. Turning to the Code of Civil Procedure we discover that findings of fact and conclusions of law in civil actions are only required to be filed in cases where issues of fact have been raised-by the pleas and denials of the respective parties. (Code Civ. Proc., secs. 588-590.) In the case of Foley v. Foley, 120 Cal. 33, [65 Am. St. Rep. 147, 52 Pac. 122], it was held that in an action for divorce the hearing required by law to be had before the court after entry of a default was not a trial of issues of fact within the meaning of these sections of[*568] the Code of Civil Procedure. In the case of Waller v. Weston, 125 Cal. 201, [57 Pac. 892], it was decided that in an action to foreclose a mortgage where the defendant had defaulted, findings of fact were not required to be filed. By the terms of section 634 courts are not required to make findings in cases where, though an issue has been joined by the pleadings of the parties, either of them fails to appear at the trial, or where by written consent filed with the clerk or oral consent in open court findings are waived. Beading section 131 of the Civil Code in the light of these sections of the Code of Civil Procedure with the construction placed upon them, we are constrained to regard the language of the section of the Civil Code as constituting rather a recital of the rule of procedure laid down in the Code of Civil Procedure than the declaration of a different rule applicable to divorce cases. The phrase “as in other cases” can thus be construed to mean that in all actions for divorces where issues have been raised by the pleadings of the parties so as to require a trial thereon, findings must be filed unless waived by the parties as provided in section 634 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

We do not give our assent to the meaning ascribed to that phrase in the case of Perkins v. Perkins, 29 Cal. App. 68, [154 Pac. 483], nor to the reasoning or conclusions either of that case or of the case of Nelson v. Nelson, 18 Cal. App. 602, [123 Pac. 1099], as to the proper construction to be placed upon section 131 of the Civil Code. On the contrary, our conclusion is that in divorce cases, as in other cases, findings are required only upon a trial of issues of fact raised by the pleadings of the respective parties, and only then in cases where findings have not been waived by the parties as provided in section 634 of the Code of Civil Procedure. It follows that in the instant case findings were not required to be filed by the court upon a denial of the divorce.

The next question presented by the appellant is that the court erred in denying the plaintiff a divorce upon the evidence presented before it. We have carefully read the reporter’s transcript of that evidence and, without attempting to recite or review it, we are of the opinion that the record does not present a ease of such clear and satisfactory proof as to take away the discretion of the trial court to determine whether or not the plaintiff was entitled to an interlocutory decree of divorce. This being so, this court cannot interfere[*569] with the action of the trial court in refusing to award her such a decree.

Judgment affirmed.

Shaw, J., and Sloss, J., concurred.

Hearing in Bank denied.