Opinion ID: 2376955
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Agreement to Alter PRA Request

Text: ¶ 14 The State argues that it is entitled to summary judgment because Justice Sanders's attorney, Mr. Bulmer, agreed to accept the production given to BIAW as a full response to Justice Sanders's records request. Because Justice Sanders got everything he requested, the State contends, he cannot seek additional production. Justice Sanders counters that Mr. Bulmer agreed to expand his request to accept additional documents but never agreed to narrow his request in any respect. The trial court avoided this issue by viewing the debate as one over the legal sufficiency of AGO's search for records in response to Justice Sanders's request. Since BIAW's request was broader and Justice Sanders did not identify any documents that should have been disclosed to him but were not, the trial court held the search to be sufficient. But, it denied the State's motion for summary judgment because the search and disclosure issue was independent of the production issues making up the rest of the case. ¶ 15 From the parties' refinement of their argument on appeal, it appears that the dispute is not over whether AGO searched for the appropriate records. The question on summary judgment is whether Mr. Bulmer agreed to accept the production given to BIAW or the disclosure given to BIAW. Summary judgment is appropriate when there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Ranger Ins. Co. v. Pierce County, 164 Wash.2d 545, 552, 192 P.3d 886 (2008). In reviewing a motion for summary judgment, we construe the facts in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. Id. Our review is de novo. Id. ¶ 16 The record shows that Mr. Bulmer agreed to modify his PRA request to match BIAW's. CP at 171, 187. But, there is a genuine issue of fact as to what this modification meant. The State argues that Mr. Bulmer agreed to accept the production given to BIAW. When considered in the light most favorable to Justice Sanders, however, the evidence suggests that Mr. Bulmer agreed only to accept the disclosure given to BIAW. See id. (AGO employee quoting Mr. Bulmer as saying that he wished to expand [his] request for documents to those which were disclosed to . . . BIAW (emphasis added)). Therefore, Justice Sanders could rightfully object to AGO's failure to produce some of the disclosed documents, even if BIAW did not do so. See CP at 475-76 (including Mr. Bulmer's statement that he never agreed to waive production of any requested documents). The trial court's denial of summary judgment on this issue was appropriate.