Opinion ID: 2614927
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Personal Service Requirement

Text: In order to take advantage of the tolling effect of RCW 4.16.170 after filing a complaint within the statute of limitations period, a plaintiff must cause one or more of the defendants to be served ... within ninety days from the date of filing the complaint. [60] We are concerned in this case with whether substituted service on the Secretary of State qualifies as personal service within the meaning of the tolling statute, RCW 4.16.170. [9, 10] RCW 46.64.040 states, in relevant part, that, provided a party complies with its requirements, such service shall be sufficient and valid personal service upon defendants. Service of process on the Secretary of State instead of service on a defendant is an obvious substitute for traditional personal service, and has been referred to by this court as substituted or constructive service. [61] The Legislature has, however, chosen to identify this type of service as a form of personal service. This identification operates in favor of plaintiffs who use the statute in the manner in which it was used in this case and who rely on the wording of the statute to determine and satisfy the detailed requirements of service of process. Where language of a statute is not ambiguous, there is no need for judicial interpretation. [62] In such a case, we accept the legislative characterization of the statute's procedures as a form of valid personal service. [63]