Miscellaneous Code Sections for Unlawful Detainer

EVIDENCE CODE

500. Except as otherwise provided by law, a party has the burden of proof as to each fact the existence or nonexistence of which is essential to the claim for relief or defense that he is asserting.

647. The return of a process server registered pursuant to Chapter 16 (commencing with Section 22350) of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code upon process or notice establishes a presumption, affecting the burden of producing evidence, of the facts stated in the return.

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE

1597.40. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that family day care homes for children should be situated in normal residential surroundings so as to give children the home environment which is conducive to healthy and safe development. It is the public policy of this state to provide children in a family day care home the same home environment as provided in a traditional home setting. The Legislature declares this policy to be of statewide concern with the purpose of occupying the field to the exclusion of municipal zoning, building and fire codes and regulations governing the use or occupancy of family day care homes for children, except as specifically provided for in this chapter, and to prohibit any restrictions relating to the use of single-family residences for family day care homes for children except as provided by this chapter.

(b) Every provision in a written instrument entered into relating to real property which purports to forbid or restrict the conveyance, encumbrance, leasing, or mortgaging of the real property for use or occupancy as a family day care home for children, is void and every restriction or prohibition in any such written instrument as to the use or occupancy of the property as a family day care home for children is void.

(c) Except as provided in subdivision (d), every restriction or prohibition entered into, whether by way of covenant, condition upon use or occupancy, or upon transfer of title to real property, which restricts or prohibits directly, or indirectly limits, the acquisition, use, or occupancy of such property for a family day care home for children is void.

(d) (1) A prospective family day care home provider, who resides in a rental property, shall provide 30 days' written notice to the landlord or owner of the rental property prior to the commencement of operation of the family day care home.

(2) For family day care home providers who have relocated an existing licensed family day care home program to a rental property on or after January 1, 1997, less than 30 days' written notice may be provided in cases where the department approves the operation of the new location of the family day care home in less than 30 days, or the home is licensed in less than 30 days, in order that service to the children served in the former location not be interrupted.

(3) A family day care home provider in operation on rental or leased property as of January 1, 1997, shall notify the landlord or property owner in writing at the time of the annual license fee renewal, or by March 31, 1997, whichever occurs later.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon commencement of, or knowledge of, the operation of a family day care home on his or her property, the landlord or property owner may require the family day care home provider to pay an increased security deposit for operation of the family day care home. The increase in deposit may be required notwithstanding that a lesser amount is required of tenants who do not operate family day care homes. In no event, however, shall the total security deposit charged exceed the maximum allowable under existing law.

(5) Section 1596.890 shall not apply to this subdivision.

11571.1. (a) To effectuate the purposes of this article, the city prosecutor or city attorney may file, in the name of the people, an action for unlawful detainer against any person who is in violation of the nuisance or illegal purpose provisions of subdivision 4 of Section 1161 of the Code of Civil Procedure, with respect to a controlled substance purpose. In filing this action, which shall be based upon an arrest report or on another action or report by a law enforcement agency, the city prosecutor or city attorney shall utilize the procedures set forth in Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1159) of Title 3 of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except that in cases filed under this section, the following also shall apply:

(1) (A) Prior to filing an action pursuant to this section, the city prosecutor or city attorney shall give 30 calendar days' written notice to the owner, requiring the owner to file an action for the removal of the person who is in violation of the nuisance or illegal purpose provisions of subdivision 4 of Section 1161 of the Code of Civil Procedure with respect to a controlled substance purpose.

(B) This notice shall include sufficient documentation establishing a violation of the nuisance or illegal purpose provisions of subdivision 4 of Section 1161 of the Code of Civil Procedure and shall be served upon the owner and the tenant in accordance with subdivision (e).

(C) The notice to the tenant shall also include on the bottom of its front page, in at least 14-point bold type, the following: "Notice to Tenant: This notice is not a notice of eviction. However, you should know that an eviction action may soon be filed in court against you for suspected drug activity, as described above. You should call (insert name and telephone number of the city attorney or prosecutor pursuing the action) or legal aid to stop the eviction action if any of the following is applicable:

(i) You are not the person named in this notice.

(ii) The person named in the notice does not live with you.

(iii) The person named in the notice has permanently moved.

(iv) You do not know the person named in the notice.

(v) You have any other legal defense or legal reason to stop the eviction action. A list of legal assistance providers is attached to this notice. Some provide free legal help if you are eligible."

(D) The owner shall, within 30 calendar days of the mailing of the written notice, either provide the city prosecutor or city attorney with all relevant information pertaining to the unlawful detainer case, or provide a written explanation setting forth any safety-related reasons for noncompliance, and an assignment to the city prosecutor or city attorney of the right to bring an unlawful detainer action against the tenant.

(E) The assignment shall be on a form provided by the city prosecutor or city attorney and may contain a provision for costs of investigation, discovery, and reasonable attorney's fees, in an amount not to exceed six hundred dollars ($600).

(F) If the city prosecutor or city attorney accepts the assignment of the right of the owner to bring the unlawful detainer action, the owner shall retain all other rights and duties, including the handling of the tenant's personal property, following issuance of the writ of possession and its delivery to and execution by the appropriate agency.

(2) Upon the failure of the owner to file an action pursuant to this section, or to respond to the city prosecutor or city attorney as provided in paragraph (1), or having filed an action, if the owner fails to prosecute it diligently and in good faith, the city prosecutor or city attorney may file and prosecute the action, and join the owner as a defendant in the action. This action shall have precedence over any similar proceeding thereafter brought by the owner, or to one previously brought by the owner and not prosecuted diligently and in good faith. Service of the summons and complaint upon the defendant owner shall be in accordance with Sections 415.10, 415.20, 415.30, 415.40, and 415.50 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(3) If a jury or court finds the defendant tenant guilty of unlawful detainer in a case filed pursuant to paragraph (2), the city prosecutor or city attorney may be awarded costs, including the costs of investigation and discovery and reasonable attorney's fees. These costs shall be assessed against the defendant owner, to whom notice was directed pursuant to paragraph (1), and once an abstract of judgment is recorded, it shall constitute a lien on the subject real property.

(4) Nothing in this article shall prevent a local governing body from adopting and enforcing laws, consistent with this article, relating to drug abatement. Where local laws duplicate or supplement this article, this article shall be construed as providing alternative remedies and not preempting the field.

(5) Nothing in this article shall prevent a tenant from receiving relief against a forfeiture of a lease pursuant to Section 1179 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(b) In any proceeding brought under this section, the court may, upon a showing of good cause, issue a partial eviction ordering the removal of any person, including, but not limited to, members of the tenant's household if the court finds that the person has engaged in the activities described in subdivision (a). Persons removed pursuant to this section may be permanently barred from returning to or reentering any portion of the entire premises. The court may further order as an express condition of the tenancy that the remaining tenants shall not give permission to or invite any person who has been removed pursuant to this subdivision to return to or reenter any portion of the entire premises.

(c) For the purposes of this section, "controlled substance purpose" means the manufacture, cultivation, importation into the state, transportation, possession, possession for sale, sale, furnishing, administering, or giving away, or providing a place to use or fortification of a place involving, cocaine, phencyclidine, heroin, methamphetamine, or any other controlled substance, in a violation of subdivision (a) of Section 11350, Section 11351, 11351.5, 11352, or 11359, subdivision (a) of Section 11360, or Section 11366, 11366.6, 11377, 11378, 11378.5, 11379, 11379.5, 11379.6, or 11383, if the offense occurs on the subject real property and is documented by the observations of a peace officer.

(d) Notwithstanding subdivision (b) of Section 68097.2 of the Government Code, a public entity may waive all or part of the costs incurred in furnishing the testimony of a peace officer in an unlawful detainer action brought pursuant to this section.

(e) The notice and documentation described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall be given in writing and may be given either by personal delivery or by deposit in the United States mail in a sealed envelope, postage prepaid, addressed to the owner at the address known to the public entity giving the notice, or as shown on the last equalized assessment roll, if not known. Separate notice of not less than 30 calendar days and documentation shall be provided to the tenant in accordance with this subdivision. Service by mail shall be deemed to be completed at the time of deposit in the United States mail. Proof of giving the notice may be made by a declaration signed under penalty of perjury by any employee of the public entity which shows service in conformity with this section.

(f) This section shall only apply to the following courts:

(1) In the County of Los Angeles, any court having jurisdiction over unlawful detainer cases involving real property situated in the City of Los Angeles, the City of Long Beach, or the City of Palmdale.

(2) In the County of San Diego, any court having jurisdiction over unlawful detainer cases involving real property situated in the City of San Diego.

(3) In the County of Alameda, any court with jurisdiction over unlawful detainer cases involving real property situated in the City of Oakland.

(g) (1) The city attorney and city prosecutor of each participating jurisdiction shall provide to the Judicial Council the following information:

(A) The number of notices provided pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).

(B) The number of cases filed by an owner, upon notice.

(D) The number of three-day, 30-day, or 60-day notices issued by the city attorney or city prosecutor.

(E) The number of cases filed by the city attorney or city prosecutor.

(F) The number of times that an owner is joined as a defendant pursuant to this section.

(G) As to each case filed by an owner, the city attorney, or the city prosecutor, the following information:

(i) The number of judgments ordering an eviction or partial eviction (specify whether default, stipulated, or following trial).

(ii) The number of cases, listed by separate categories, in which the case was withdrawn or in which the tenant prevailed.

(iii) The number of other dispositions (specify disposition).

(iv) The number of defendants represented by counsel.

(v) Whether the case was a trial by the court or a trial by a jury.

(vi) Whether an appeal was taken, and, if so, the result of the appeal.

(vii) The number of cases in which partial eviction was requested, and the number of cases in which the court ordered a partial eviction.

(H) As to each case in which a notice was issued, but no case was filed, the following information:

(i) The number of instances in which a tenant voluntarily vacated the unit.

(ii) The number of instances in which a tenant vacated a unit prior to the providing of the notice.

(iii) The number of cases in which the notice provided pursuant to subdivision (a) was erroneously sent to the tenant. (List reasons, if known, for the erroneously sent notice, such as reliance on information on the suspected controlled substance law violator's name or address that was incorrect; clerical error; or any other reason.)

(iv) The number of other resolutions (specify resolution).

(2) (A) Information compiled pursuant to this section shall be reported annually to the Judicial Council on or before January 30 of each year.

(B) The Judicial Council shall thereafter submit a brief report to the Senate and Assembly Committees on the Judiciary once on or before April 15, 2007, and once on or before April 15, 2009, summarizing the information collected pursuant to this section and evaluating the merits of the pilot programs established by this section.

(h) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2010, and as of that date is repealed unless a later enacted statute deletes or extends that date.

17920.3. Any building or portion thereof including any dwelling unit, guestroom or suite of rooms, or the premises on which the same is located, in which there exists any of the following listed conditions to an extent that endangers the life, limb, health, property, safety, or welfare of the public or the occupants thereof shall be deemed and hereby is declared to be a substandard building:

(a) Inadequate sanitation shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) Lack of, or improper water closet, lavatory, or bathtub or shower in a dwelling unit.

(2) Lack of, or improper water closets, lavatories, and bathtubs or showers per number of guests in a hotel.

(3) Lack of, or improper kitchen sink.

(4) Lack of hot and cold running water to plumbing fixtures in a hotel.

(5) Lack of hot and cold running water to plumbing fixtures in a dwelling unit.

(6) Lack of adequate heating.

(7) Lack of, or improper operation of required ventilating equipment.

(8) Lack of minimum amounts of natural light and ventilation required by this code.

(9) Room and space dimensions less than required by this code.

(10) Lack of required electrical lighting.

(11) Dampness of habitable rooms.

(12) Infestation of insects, vermin, or rodents as determined by the health officer.

(13) General dilapidation or improper maintenance.

(14) Lack of connection to required sewage disposal system.

(15) Lack of adequate garbage and rubbish storage and removal facilities as determined by the health officer.

(b) Structural hazards shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) Deteriorated or inadequate foundations.

(2) Defective or deteriorated flooring or floor supports.

(3) Flooring or floor supports of insufficient size to carry imposed loads with safety.

(4) Members of walls, partitions, or other vertical supports that split, lean, list, or buckle due to defective material or deterioration.

(5) Members of walls, partitions, or other vertical supports that are of insufficient size to carry imposed loads with safety.

(6) Members of ceilings, roofs, ceilings and roof supports, or other horizontal members which sag, split, or buckle due to defective material or deterioration.

(7) Members of ceiling, roofs, ceiling and roof supports, or other horizontal members that are of insufficient size to carry imposed loads with safety.

(8) Fireplaces or chimneys which list, bulge, or settle due to defective material or deterioration.

(9) Fireplaces or chimneys which are of insufficient size or strength to carry imposed loads with safety.

(d) All wiring, except that which conformed with all applicable laws in effect at the time of installation if it is currently in good and safe condition and working properly.

(e) All plumbing, except plumbing that conformed with all applicable laws in effect at the time of installation and has been maintained in good condition, or that may not have conformed with all applicable laws in effect at the time of installation but is currently in good and safe condition and working properly, and that is free of cross connections and siphonage between fixtures.

(f) All mechanical equipment, including vents, except equipment that conformed with all applicable laws in effect at the time of installation and that has been maintained in good and safe condition, or that may not have conformed with all applicable laws in effect at the time of installation but is currently in good and safe condition and working properly.

(g) Faulty weather protection, which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) Deteriorated, crumbling, or loose plaster.

(2) Deteriorated or ineffective waterproofing of exterior walls, roof, foundations, or floors, including broken windows or doors.

(3) Defective or lack of weather protection for exterior wall coverings, including lack of paint, or weathering due to lack of paint or other approved protective covering.

(4) Broken, rotted, split, or buckled exterior wall coverings or roof coverings.

(h) Any building or portion thereof, device, apparatus, equipment, combustible waste, or vegetation that, in the opinion of the chief of the fire department or his deputy, is in such a condition as to cause a fire or explosion or provide a ready fuel to augment the spread and intensity of fire or explosion arising from any cause.

(i) All materials of construction, except those which are specifically allowed or approved by this code, and which have been adequately maintained in good and safe condition.

(j) Those premises on which an accumulation of weeds, vegetation, junk, dead organic matter, debris, garbage, offal, rodent harborages, stagnant water, combustible materials, and similar materials or conditions constitute fire, health, or safety hazards.

(k) Any building or portion thereof that is determined to be an unsafe building due to inadequate maintenance, in accordance with the latest edition of the Uniform Building Code.

(l) All buildings or portions thereof not provided with adequate exit facilities as required by this code, except those buildings or portions thereof whose exit facilities conformed with all applicable laws at the time of their construction and that have been adequately maintained and increased in relation to any increase in occupant load, alteration or addition, or any change in occupancy. When an unsafe condition exists through lack of, or improper location of, exits, additional exits may be required to be installed.

(m) All buildings or portions thereof that are not provided with the fire-resistive construction or fire-extinguishing systems or equipment required by this code, except those buildings or portions thereof that conformed with all applicable laws at the time of their construction and whose fire-resistive integrity and fire-extinguishing systems or equipment have been adequately maintained and improved in relation to any increase in occupant load, alteration or addition, or any change in occupancy.

(n) All buildings or portions thereof occupied for living, sleeping, cooking, or dining purposes that were not designed or intended to be used for those occupancies.

(o) Inadequate structural resistance to horizontal forces. "Substandard building" includes a building not in compliance with Section 13143.2. However, a condition that would require displacement of sound walls or ceilings to meet height, length, or width requirements for ceilings, rooms, and dwelling units shall not by itself be considered sufficient existence of dangerous conditions making a building a substandard building, unless the building was constructed, altered, or converted in violation of those requirements in effect at the time of construction, alteration, or conversion.

17920.10. (a) Any building or portion thereof including any dwelling unit, guestroom, or suite of rooms, or portion thereof, or the premises on which it is located, is deemed to be in violation of this part as to any portion that contains lead hazards. For purposes of this part, "lead hazards" means deteriorated lead-based paint, lead-contaminated dust, lead-contaminated soil, or disturbing lead-based paint without containment, if one or more of these hazards are present in one or more locations in amounts that are equal to or exceed the amounts of lead established for these terms in Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 35001) of Division 1 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations or by this section and that are likely to endanger the health of the public or the occupants thereof as a result of their proximity to the public or the occupants thereof.

(b) In the absence of new regulations adopted by the State Department of Health Services in accordance with the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) further interpreting or clarifying the terms "deteriorated lead-based paint," "lead-based paint," "lead-contaminated dust," "containment," or "lead-contaminated soil," regulations in Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 35001) of Division 1 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations adopted by the State Department of Health Services pursuant to Sections 105250 and 124150 shall interpret or clarify these terms. If the State Department of Health Services adopts new regulations defining these terms, the new regulations shall supersede the prior regulations for the purposes of this part.

(c) In the absence of new regulations adopted by the State Department of Health Services in accordance with the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act defining the term "disturbing lead-based paint without containment" or modifying the term "deteriorated lead-based paint," for purposes of this part "disturbing lead-based paint without containment" and "deteriorated lead-based paint" shall be considered lead hazards as described in subdivision (a) only if the aggregate affected area is equal to or in excess of one of the following:

(1) Two square feet in any one interior room or space.

(2) Twenty square feet on exterior surfaces.

(3) Ten percent of the surface area on the interior or exterior type of component with a small surface area. Examples include window sills, baseboards, and trim.

(d) Notwithstanding subdivision (c), "disturbing lead-based paint without containment" and "deteriorated lead-based paint" shall be considered lead hazards, for purposes of this part, if it is determined that an area smaller than those specified in subdivision (c) is associated with a person with a blood lead level equal to or greater than 10 micrograms per deciliter.

(e) If the State Department of Health Services adopts regulations defining or redefining the terms "deteriorated lead-based paint," "lead-contaminated dust," "lead-contaminated soil," "disturbing lead-based paint without containment," "containment," or "lead-based paint," the effective date of the new regulations shall be deferred for a minimum of three months after their approval by the Office of Administrative Law and the regulations shall take effect on the next July 1 or January 1 following that three-month period. Until the new definitions apply, the prior definition shall apply.

PENAL CODE

484. (a) Every person who shall feloniously steal, take, carry, lead, or drive away the personal property of another, or who shall fraudulently appropriate property which has been entrusted to him or her, or who shall knowingly and designedly, by any false or fraudulent representation or pretense, defraud any other person of money, labor or real or personal property, or who causes or procures others to report falsely of his or her wealth or mercantile character and by thus imposing upon any person, obtains credit and thereby fraudulently gets or obtains possession of money, or property or obtains the labor or service of another, is guilty of theft. In determining the value of the property obtained, for the purposes of this section, the reasonable and fair market value shall be the test, and in determining the value of services received the contract price shall be the test. If there be no contract price, the reasonable and going wage for the service rendered shall govern. For the purposes of this section, any false or fraudulent representation or pretense made shall be treated as continuing, so as to cover any money, property or service received as a result thereof, and the complaint, information or indictment may charge that the crime was committed on any date during the particular period in question. The hiring of any additional employee or employees without advising each of them of every labor claim due and unpaid and every judgment that the employer has been unable to meet shall be prima facie evidence of intent to defraud.

(b) (1) Except as provided in Section 10855 of the Vehicle Code, where a person has leased or rented the personal property of another person pursuant to a written contract, and that property has a value greater than one thousand dollars ($1,000) and is not a commonly used household item, intent to commit theft by fraud shall be rebuttably presumed if the person fails to return the personal property to its owner within 10 days after the owner has made written demand by certified or registered mail following the expiration of the lease or rental agreement for return of the property so leased or rented.

(2) Except as provided in Section 10855 of the Vehicle Code, where a person has leased or rented the personal property of another person pursuant to a written contract, and where the property has a value no greater than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or where the property is a commonly used household item, intent to commit theft by fraud shall be rebuttably presumed if the person fails to return the personal property to its owner within 20 days after the owner has made written demand by certified or registered mail following the expiration of the lease or rental agreement for return of the property so leased or rented.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (b), if one presents with criminal intent identification which bears a false or fictitious name or address for the purpose of obtaining the lease or rental of the personal property of another, the presumption created herein shall apply upon the failure of the lessee to return the rental property at the expiration of the lease or rental agreement, and no written demand for the return of the leased or rented property shall be required.

(d) The presumptions created by subdivisions (b) and (c) are presumptions affecting the burden of producing evidence.

(e) Within 30 days after the lease or rental agreement has expired, the owner shall make written demand for return of the property so leased or rented. Notice addressed and mailed to the lessee or renter at the address given at the time of the making of the lease or rental agreement and to any other known address shall constitute proper demand. Where the owner fails to make such written demand the presumption created by subdivision (b) shall not apply.

518. Extortion is the obtaining of property from another, with his consent, or the obtaining of an official act of a public officer, induced by a wrongful use of force or fear, or under color of official right.