Opinion ID: 2614927
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Court of Appeals Remand

Text: [11] Upon reversing the dismissal by the trial court, the Court of Appeals remanded the case for a factual determination whether Respondents had acted in good faith and exercised due diligence in attempting to personally serve Petitioners before resorting to substituted service. [64] This court has held that `due diligence' under the statute requires that plaintiff make honest and reasonable efforts to locate the defendant. Not all conceivable means need be employed, but, at the least, the accident report, if made, must be examined and the information [in it] investigated with reasonable effort. [65] Further, courts need not impose any strictures on the period of time during the limitations period in which plaintiff makes diligent search for defendant. [66] In this case, the record shows that Respondents began a series of personal service attempts 5 days prior to expiration of the 90-day extension and within the statutory time limit. The process server located the Triols' Seattle residence to which they had moved after the accident, and contacted neighbors who could provide no information concerning the Triols' whereabouts. Respondents made a final attempt at service at the Triols' residence address even after they had served the Secretary of State. [67] Their inability to personally serve the Triols was not because of a lack of diligence, but was because the Triols were away from home on a boat sailing into Canadian waters. We conclude from this that Respondents diligently attempted to personally serve the Petitioners in accordance with the mandates of RCW 46.64.040. [68] [12] Findings of fact are appropriately made in the trial court. [69] Here, however, the facts are not in issue. [70] Rather, the principal dispute relates to the meaning of [a] statutory term and may be resolved by this court. [71] The record is sufficiently developed in this case for this court to determine, as a matter of law and in accordance with the test announced in Meier, that Respondents acted in good faith and exercised due diligence in attempting to find Petitioners and serve process on them prior to substituting service on the Secretary of State. We thus set aside the order of the Court of Appeals remanding the case to the trial court for findings of fact on good faith and due diligence.