Defendant school board appealed from a judgment of the Superior Court of Santa Barbara County (California), for plaintiff school principal in plaintiff’s breach of contract action against defendant.

Nakase Law Firm explains unjust enrichment California

Overview

A school board created under statute that was later found unconstitutional entered into an employment contract with plaintiff school principal. Defendant school board, a newly organized school board that succeeded to the obligations of the contracting school board, breached plaintiff’s employment contract. Plaintiff brought a breach of contract action and the trial court entered judgment for plaintiff. Defendant appealed. On appeal, the court affirmed. The court held that defendant succeeded to its predecessor’s obligations under plaintiff’s employment contract. The court held that where defendant’s predecessor acted under color of law, and the state did not question its existence or validity, defendant could not challenge its predecessor’s existence and validity. The court held that the measure of plaintiff’s damages was presumed to be the amount that he would have received under the contract.

Outcome

The court affirmed a judgment for plaintiff school principal in plaintiff’s breach of contract action against defendant school board. The court held that defendant was successor to the predecessor school board that entered into an employment contract with plaintiff and was liable for breach of that contract.