Morehart v. County of Santa Barbara
California Supreme Court
872 P.2d 143 (1994)
Santa Barbara County (defendant) denied Morehart and others (plaintiffs) a building permit under a zoning ordinance requiring undersized parcels to be merged with adjoining land; Morehart sued on five causes of action, including three preemption claims plus separate inverse-condemnation and civil-rights claims. The trial court tried the preemption claims separately, ruled for Morehart, and entered judgment (with a statement of decision) only on those claims while the other two remained pending; the county appealed, the Court of Appeal reversed, and the California Supreme Court granted review.
Whether an appeal can be taken from a judgment that fails to dispose of all causes of action between the parties.