DocketNumber: No. X01 CV 00-0160662S
Citation Numbers: 2001 Conn. Super. Ct. 2187
Judges: HODGSON, JUDGE.
Filed Date: 2/8/2001
Status: Non-Precedential
Modified Date: 7/5/2016
The City has moved to strike Counts Three, Four and Five of Pavarini's cross claim. In the first count, which is not challenged by this motion, Pavarini seeks foreclosure of a mechanic's lien against the property, and in the second count Pavarini seeks damages against ARC for breach of contract. CT Page 2188
Standard of Review on Motion to Strike
The function of a motion to strike is to test the legal sufficiency of the allegations of a complaint to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Sherwood v. Danbury Hospital,
In adjudicating a motion to strike, the court must construe the facts alleged in the complaint in the manner most favorable to the plaintiff.Gazo v. Stamford,
Unjust Enrichment
In Count Three, which is directed at both the City and ARC, Pavarini claims that the City has been unjustly enriched by construction services worth $3,080,460. The key factual allegations of this count are as follows:
"On or before May 31, 1999, Pavarini entered into an agreement with ARC, with the knowledge and consent of the City of Danbury, to provide construction services for ARC, and to otherwise act as the agent of ARC, in connection with a construction project known as ARC Ice Sports Danbury, Ice Staking Rink, One Independence Way, Danbury, Connecticut ('the CT Page 2189 Project')." (Para. 25.);
ARC agreed to pay Pavarini for its services. (Para. 26.);
Pavarini "is owed monies for work and services furnished by Pavarini to ARC" and is also claiming money on behalf of subcontractors that worked on the project (Para. 29) in the amount of $3,080,460;
The City, which transferred the land for the project to ARC, "[p]ursuant to a Declaration of Reverter, dated June 6, 2000 . . . purports to claim that it is the owner of record of the Property" (Para. 5);
"Having obtained the benefits of Pavarini's work, ARC and the City of Danbury have been unjustly enriched in the amount of $3,080,460.00." (Para. 38.)
The City asserts two grounds for striking the third count. First, it asserts that foreclosure of a mechanic's lien, the remedy that Pavarini seeks in the first count of its cross claim, is Pavarini's sole remedy, and that a party that seeks foreclosure of a mechanic's lien cannot also seek damages in quantum meruit. The mechanic's lien statute, Conn. Gen. Stat. §
The Appellate Court noted in Avotte Bros. Construction Co. v. Finney,
Contrary to the argument of the City, the references to unjust enrichment in Seaman v. Climate Control Corp.,
Absent a declaration in a statute that the statute provides the exclusive remedy for a particular claim of loss, Connecticut courts recognize that a party may plead in the alternative. Dreier v. UpjohnCo.,
The second ground asserted by the City for striking Pavarini's claim for recovery for unjust enrichment in quantum meruit is that Pavarini has not pleaded facts that allege the elements of such a cause of action against the City.
The Appellate Court has ruled that a remedy for unjust enrichment is available where a landowner benefits from improvements to its land. InAvotte Bros. Construction Co. v. Finney,
The elements of unjust enrichment are well established. Plaintiffs seeking recovery for unjust enrichment must prove "(1) that the defendants were benefitted, (2) that the defendants unjustly did not pay the plaintiffs for the benefit, and (3) that the failure of payment was to the plaintiffs' detriment." Bolmer v. Kocet,
6 Conn. App. 595 ,612-13 (1986).
Ayotte Bros. Construction Co. v. Finney, supra,
The City has cited Cecio Bros., Inc. v. Greenwich,
Under the pleading standard cited above, the allegations of the complaint are sufficient to state a claim for unjust enrichment and recovery in quantum meruit. The City asks this court, in effect, to prejudge the merits of the claim, not simply to review the adequacy of the allegations to state a cause of action.
The motion to strike the third count of Pavarini's cross claim is denied.
Count Four — Constructive Trust
In the fourth count of its cross claim, Pavarini alleges that the City required ARC to establish an escrow account for the purpose of meeting its obligations for the ice rink project. Pavarini alleges that the escrow agent caused $1.8 million of designated construction funds to be transferred to the City, and that the City has used these funds for uses other than compensation to those who have performed construction services on the project prior to the reversion of title to the City. Pavarini alleges that it relied on the existence of the escrow fund in agreeing to perform services to ARC in constructing the ice rink.
The City alleges that Brown v. Brown,
The motion to strike the fourth count is denied.
Count Five — Quiet Title CT Page 2192
The City asserts that Pavarini may not bring an action to quiet title to the ice rink property because, in the City's view, an action to foreclose a mechanic's lien is Pavarini's sole cause of action. This court has rejected this proposition.
As a second ground for striking this count, the City asserts that an action to quiet title may be maintained only by a party claiming title to or an interest in the property and that Pavarini has failed to allege its interest. At paragraph 14 of the complaint, a paragraph incorporated by reference in the fifth count, Pavarini alleges that it filed a mechanic's lien against the property. It further alleged that while ARC was the owner of the property, the City claims to have exercised a right to reversion of title.
An action to quiet title is a statutory action. Conn. Gen. Stat. §
[a]n action may be brought by any person claiming title to, or any interest in, real or personal property, or both, against any person who may claim to own the property, or any part of it, or to have any estate in it, either in fee, for years, for life or in reversion or remainder, or to have any interest in the property, or any lien or encumbrance on it, adverse to the plaintiff, or against any person in whom the land records disclose any interest, lien, claim or title conflicting with the plaintiff's claim, title or interest, for the purpose of determining such adverse estate, interest or claim, and to clear up all doubts and disputes and to quiet and settle the title to the property. Such action may be brought whether or not the plaintiff is entitled to the immediate or exclusive possession of the property.
Subsection (b) of §
Pavarini does not allege that it ever acquired an interest in or title to the property at issue. It alleges only that it has filed a mechanic's lien and is entitled to the statutory remedy of foreclosure of that lien a remedy that would extinguish the interests of ARC and the City. "An essential of a complaint under our statute for quieting title (Rev. 1958, §
Pavarini does not assert that it has an interest in the land; rather, it is attempting to resolve whether it can enforce its mechanic's lien against ARC or against the City. The filing of a mechanic's lien does not automatically create in the lienor an interest in the land. The lienor does not acquire an interest in the land unless and until he is granted the remedy of foreclosure. Conn. Gen. Stat. §
The motion to strike the fifth count is granted.
Conclusion
For the foregoing reasons, the motion to strike is denied as to counts three and and four of Pavarini's cross claim against the City of Danbury. It is granted as to count five. Pavarini has requested "the opportunity to file a Request for Leave to Amend" in the event that the motion to strike is granted in whole or in part. The Practice Book, at §
Beverly J. Hodgson Judge of the Superior Court