Opinion ID: 1133601
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Wrongful Settlement

Text: K.S.A. 60-260(b)(6) provides that upon a motion, the court may relieve a party from a final judgment, order, or proceeding for any reason justifying relief from the operation of the judgment. The district court declined to grant Miller relief for wrongful settlement, finding that Miller had waived that right by failing to exercise his statutory right to relief from the judgment. Miller contends that a motion to set aside wrongful judgment is not a condition precedent to maintaining an action seeking compensation for such. Miller relies on Cook v. Connolly, 366 N.W.2d 287 (Minn. 1985); Baldridge v. Lacks, 883 S.W.2d 947 (Mo. App. 1994), reh. denied August 20, 1994; and Novack v. Newman, 709 S.W.2d 116 (Mo. App. 1985), to support his position. It is the duty of the courts to decide actual controversies by a judgment which can be carried into effect, and not to give opinions upon moot questions or abstract propositions, or to declare principles which cannot affect the matters in issue before the court. Shanks v. Nelson, 258 Kan. 688, Syl. ¶ 2, 907 P.2d 882 (1995). Miller's claims of negligence, bad faith, outrageous conduct, and fraud were determined by the district court when it granted the defendants' motions for summary judgment and in dismissing the action. Because none of Miller's claims were sustainable and we affirm the trial court's rulings, the issue of whether Miller waived his claims by failing to move the court to set aside the settlement is moot. Because the trial court's dismissal of Miller's case is affirmed, the issues raised in cross-appeal by the attorneys and their firm are moot and need not be addressed. Affirmed. ALLEGRUCCI, J., not participating. JAMES W. PADDOCK, Senior Judge, assigned.