A. E. Cook Co. v. K S Racing Enterprises

Decision Date01 July 1969
Citation79 Cal.Rptr. 123,274 Cal.App.2d 499
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeals Court of Appeals
PartiesA. E. COOK COMPANY, a California corporation, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. K S RACING ENTERPRISES, Inc., a California corporation, Defendant and Appellant. Civ. 33257.

Benjamin D. Brown, Hollywood, for appellant.

Pratte, Suckling & Lynch, Los Angeles, and Williams & Williams by James J. Williams, Hollywood, for respondent.

FLEMING, Associate Justice.

Defendant K S Racing Enterprises appeals the denial of its motion to dissolve a writ of attachment obtained by plaintiff A. E. Cook Company, a California corporation. The sole question is whether a corporation which filed suit and obtained a writ of attachment at a time its corporate powers were suspended for non-payment of taxes, but which thereafter revived its powers by the payment of its back taxes prior to the filing of a motion to discharge the attachment, is entitled to the benefit of its attachment.

On 20 October 1967, plaintiff filed a complaint for money against defendant and attached defendant's bank account. On 22 November, defendant moved for summary judgment on the ground that under Revenue and Taxation Code section 23301 plaintiff's corporate powers had been suspended on 1 November 1966 for non-payment of taxes. Before the motion was heard, plaintiff, pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code sections 23305 and 23305a, revived its corporate powers on 1 December by paying its delinquent taxes. On 14 December defendant moved to dissolve the attachment. Thereafter, the trial court denied the motion for summary judgment and denied the motion to dissolve the attachment.

On revivor of its corporate powers a corporation may continue an action commenced during the period of suspension and not previously dismissed, even though the opposing party pleaded the suspension prior to the revivor. (Traub Co. v. Coffee Break Service, Inc., 66 Cal.2d 368, 57 Cal.Rptr. 846, 425 P.2d 790; Hall v. Citizens Nat. Tr. & Sav. Bank, 53 Cal.App.2d 625, 630--632, 128 P.2d 545; Maryland Cas. Co. v. Superior Court, 91 Cal.App. 356, 361--364, 267 P. 169.) These cases state that a challenge to the complaint on the ground that the corporation's powers have been suspended is a disfavored plea in abatement which must be supported by facts warranting the abatement at the time of the plea. Even at the time of the hearing, the court may grant a continuance in order to allow the delinquent corporation to secure a revivor. The plea in abatement does not vest a right to dismissal which cannot be abrogated by a subsequent revivor of corporate powers. (Schwartz v. Magyar House, Inc., 168 Cal.App.2d 182, 190, 335 P.2d 487.)

The same logic which sustains actions commenced prior to revivor of corporate powers sustains the validity of provisional...

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21 cases
  • Cadle Co. v. World Wide Hospitality Furn.
    • United States
    • California Court of Appeals Court of Appeals
    • October 31, 2006
    ...the time of the hearing, at the request of the corporation or on the trial court's own motion. (A.E. Cook Co. v. K S Racing Enterprises, Inc. (1969) 274 Cal. App.2d 499, 500, 79 Cal.Rptr. 123; Peacock Hill, supra, 8 Cal.3d at p. 372, fn. 2, 105 Cal.Rptr. 29, 503 P.2d 285, citing Schwartz v.......
  • U.S. v. 2.61 Acres of Land, More or Less, Situated in Mariposa County, State of Cal.
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Ninth Circuit
    • June 13, 1986
    ...See Traub, 66 Cal.2d at 370 n. 3, 57 Cal.Rptr. 846, 425 P.2d 790; Schwartz, 168 Cal.App.2d at 188-89, 335 P.2d 487; A.E. Cook, 274 Cal.App.2d at 500, 79 Cal.Rptr. 123; Hamrick, 235 Cal.App.2d at 236, 61 Cal.Rptr. 254. "Suspension of corporate powers is a defense which may be asserted so lon......
  • Jimenez v. CRC Prop. Mgmt. W.
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Southern District of California
    • September 17, 2021
    ... ... 23301 is to put pressure on delinquent companies to pay their ... taxes. A. E. Cook Co. v. K S Racing Enterprises , 274 ... Cal.App. 2d 499, 501 (1969). “That purpose is ... ...
  • Jimenez v. CRC Prop. Mgmt. W.
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Southern District of California
    • September 21, 2021
    ... ... 23301 is to put pressure on delinquent companies to pay their ... taxes. A. E. Cook Co. v. K S Racing Enterprises , 274 ... Cal.App. 2d 499, 501 (1969). “That purpose is ... ...
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