Opinion ID: 2615891
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Use of a declaratory judgment to challenge the constitutionality of the legislation.

Text: Appellants appear to contend that it is improper for the District to seek declaratory relief against the State. It is pointed out that there must be a justiciable controversy as defined in Diversified Indus. Dev. Corp. v. Ripley, 82 Wn.2d 811, 815, 514 P.2d 137 (1973): (1) ... an actual, present and existing dispute, or the mature seeds of one, as distinguished from a possible, dormant, hypothetical, speculative, or moot disagreement, (2) between parties having genuine and opposing interests, (3) which involves interests that must be direct and substantial, rather than potential, theoretical, abstract or academic, and (4) a judicial determination of which will be final and conclusive. Appellants seem to suggest that element (2) is missing because the District is a mere corporate arm of the State, created for administration of the school system. Thus, they assert, the District and the State have identical interests which make declaratory relief inappropriate. We do not agree. [3] Where the question is one of great public interest and has been brought to the court's attention with adequate argument and briefing, and where it appears that an opinion of the court will be beneficial to the public and to other branches of the government, the court may exercise its discretion and render a declaratory judgment to resolve a question of constitutional interpretation. State ex rel. Distilled Spirits Inst., Inc. v. Kinnear, 80 Wn.2d 175, 178, 492 P.2d 1012 (1972). See also Diversified Indus. Dev. Corp. v. Ripley, supra at 814; Huntamer v. Coe, 40 Wn.2d 767, 246 P.2d 489 (1952). Our review of the record and the briefs compels us to conclude that the Legislature, the Attorney General, school districts and the people of this State are uncertain as to the meaning and application of Const. art. 9, §§ 1 and 2. They, as well as the impacted public school children, will benefit from a clarification of the applicable constitutional and statutory provisions. Declaratory procedure is peculiarly well suited to the judicial determination of controversies concerning constitutional rights and, as in this case, the constitutionality of legislative action or inaction. See Horton v. Meskill, 172 Conn. 615, 376 A.2d 359 (1977).