Van Camp v. Van Camp
199 P. 885, 53 Cal.App. 17 (1921)
Sections
Case Podcast
Listen to an audio breakdown of Van Camp v. Van Camp.
Rule of Law:
The Legal Principle
This section distills the key legal rule established or applied by the court—the one-liner you'll want to remember for exams.
Facts:
- In 1914, before his marriage, Frank Van Camp organized the Van Camp Sea Food Company, a corporation in which he was the controlling shareholder.
- Van Camp brought substantial separate property, including his stock in the company, into his March 1916 marriage to the plaintiff.
- During the marriage, Van Camp served as the president and general manager of the corporation, devoting his exclusive attention to its management.
- The corporation paid Van Camp a salary for his services, which started at $1,000 per month and was later increased to $1,500 per month.
- The total salary Van Camp received during the marriage was $69,203.
- The family's living expenses, which are presumed to be paid from community funds, amounted to approximately $60,630.
- The Van Camp Sea Food Company was highly successful and generated enormous profits and dividends far in excess of the salary paid to Van Camp.
Procedural Posture:
How It Got Here
Understand the case's journey through the courts—who sued whom, what happened at trial, and why it ended up on appeal.
Issue:
Legal Question at Stake
This section breaks down the central legal question the court had to answer, written in plain language so you can quickly grasp what's being decided.
Opinions:
Majority, Concurrences & Dissents
Read clear summaries of each judge's reasoning—the majority holding, any concurrences, and dissenting views—so you understand all perspectives.
Analysis:
Why This Case Matters
Get the bigger picture—how this case fits into the legal landscape, its lasting impact, and the key takeaways for your class discussion.
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