Summary
holding that claim preclusion was not a proper basis for dismissal because the trial court was limited to the face of the complaint, which did not mention previous litigation involving the parties
Summary of this case from Ramex, Inc. v. Northwest Basic IndustriesOpinion
92C760654; CA A76525
Argued and submitted March 1, 1993
Reversed and remanded May 12, 1993
Appeal from District Court, Multnomah County.
Anthony L. Casciato, Judge.
Jeffrey I. Hasson, Portland, argued the cause for appellant. With him on the brief was Hasson Zimmerman, Portland.
Mark L. DeLapp, Portland, argued the cause and filed the brief for respondent.
Before Warren, Presiding Judge, and Edmonds and Landau, Judges.
PER CURIAM
Reversed and remanded.
Plaintiff appeals a judgment that dismissed its complaint on the ground that its claims are barred by claim preclusion, because the complaint alleges claims arising out of the same breach of contract that had previously been litigated to judgment. The trial court dismissed the complaint pursuant to ORCP 21A. Although the court did not further specify which subsection applied, the only relevant one is subsection (8). On a pretrial motion under ORCP 21A(8), the trial court can dismiss only if the pleading on its face fails to state a claim. See O'Gara v. Kaufman, 81 Or. App. 499, 503, 726 P.2d 403 (1986). Nothing on the face of the complaint mentions a former action. The trial court erred when it went outside the complaint to conclude that the claims were barred.
Defendant cites two California cases that held that res judicata can be grounds for a motion to dismiss: Olwell v. Hopkins, 28 Cal.2d 147, 168 P.2d 972 (1946); Stafford v. Yerge, 129 Cal.App.2d 165, 276 P.2d 649 (1954). We decline to adopt the reasoning in those cases in the light of the express language of ORCP 21A that only motions to dismiss under ORCP 21A(1)-(7) can be supported by facts outside the complaint.
Reversed and remanded.