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.