Opinion ID: 2355739
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Effect of Subsequent Decisions

Text: Anderson attempts to justify his Motion to Enforce with two subsequent water court decisions. The first is a an order from a separate case, In re Pursell, 09CW05, dated September 14, 2009, ordering Pursell to drain the ponds on his property and to cease diversion and storage until he obtained a storage right. The second is an order in this case, dated November 30, 2009, confirming that Anderson complied with the requirement in the Final Decree that he conduct a ditch loss analysis of the Eureka Ditch. Those orders, however, were not and are not at issue in relation to the determination of whether Anderson's Motion to Enforce was substantially frivolous. The order requiring Pursell to drain his ponds and cease storing and diverting water involved general principles of water law, not the Water Agreement, which was at issue in the injunction and Motion to Enforce. It was a result of the State, not Anderson, filing a complaint against Pursell. Therefore, that order is not applicable as justification for the validity of the Motion to Enforce. The order confirming that Anderson complied with the Final Decree is also inapplicable. The Motion to Enforce did not pertain to the Final Decree; it was attempting to enforce the injunction. Anderson's adherence to certain requirements in the decree has no bearing on whether or not the Motion to Enforce lacked substantial justification. Therefore, Anderson's argument that the subsequent orders showed that his Motion to Enforce did not lack substantial justification is unfounded.