6 Colo. App. 319 | Colo. Ct. App. | 1895
delivered the opinion of the court.
This is a suit to enforce a mechanic’s lien. The complaint alleges the organization of the school district, defendant, under the laws of this state relating to schools; a contract between it and the defendants Groves & Hackett for the construction of a schoolhouse, which reserved in the district the right to retain out of the money payable to the contract
A demurrer by the school district to the complaint was sustained, judgment was entered in its favor upon the demurrer, and judgment given against Groves & Hackett for the amount of the plaintiff’s claim. The plaintiff brings the case here, and assigns for error the ruling upon the demurrer.
The only question for determination is whether by virtue of the mechanic’s lien law of this state, a lien can be acquired or enforced for labor and materials furnished to a school district in the erection of a schoolhouse. Section 1 of the act concerning mechanics’ liens, in pursuance of which the statement in this case was filed, provides that whoever shall do any work or furnish any materials by contract, express or implied, with the owner of any land, his agent or trustee, for the construction, enlargement, alteration or repair of any building, or other structure, upon such land, or in making any other improvement, or in doing any other work upon such land, shall have a lien upon such land, building, structure or other improvement, for the amount and value o.f the work done, or material furnished, to the extent of the interest or claim of the owner at the time of the commencement of the work or furnishing of the materials. It also provides that, for the purposes of the act; any person having an assignable, transferable, or conveyable interest, shall be deemed an owner. Subsequent sections provide for the acquisition of liens by subcontractors, .the effect of which upon the prop
The right to á mechanic’s lien has no existence except by virtue of the statute. While a liberal construction should be given to its provisions, to the end that the purposes of its enactment may not be defeated, still its scope cannot be enlarged by attaching to the language employed a forced or unusual meaning. The rights and remedies of a subcontractor are, to a certain extent, measured by those of the original contractor. The foundation of the right of either-to a lien is the original contract, and if that is not such as the statute contemplates, and cannot therefore be made the basis of a lien in favor of the original contractor, a contractor under him is entitled to none. The original contract must be made with the owner of the land upon which the building is erected, or with some person authorized to act for him, and the resultant lien is coextensive with his interest or claim in the property. An owner is one who has dominion over that which is the subject of the ownership. He has the right to make such use of it, consistent with the rights of others, as he may see fit. The ownership may extend to the entire thing, or may be limited to an interest in it; but whatever is the subject of the ownership, it is held by the owner for Lis own individual benefit. For the purposes of the act, an assignable, transferable or eonve}''able interest or claim in the thing constitutes ownership, but the right to assign, transfer or convey resides in the person having the interest or claim, to be exercised at his pleasure, so that his relation to the interest or claim is that of owner under the general definition of the.term.
It therefore becomes necessary to inquire whether the relation sustained by a school district to the school property is
But it does not follow that the plaintiff is without a remedy. He has recovered judgment against his immediate contractors. A school district is a quasi corporation, and not subject to
The judgment'will be affirmed.
Affirmed.