Opinion ID: 1179748
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: [1] Under the priority of action rule, the trial court that first obtains jurisdiction is the court in which this matter will normally proceed. See Mutual of Enumclaw Ins. Co. v. Human Rights Comm'n, 39 Wn. App. 213, 216, 692 P.2d 882 (1984). SSI contends the court that acquires jurisdiction is the court in the county in which both filing and service are first completed. We disagree. The applicable court rule and statute are unambiguous. Both provide that a civil action is commenced by filing or by service of the summons and complaint. CR 3; RCW 4.28.020. Once an action is commenced, the court is deemed to have acquired jurisdiction and to have control of all subsequent proceedings. RCW 4.28.020. CR 3 clearly and unmistakably provides that an action is commenced today by service of a summons or by the filing of a complaint. Curtis Lumber Co. v. Sortor, 83 Wn.2d 764, 767, 522 P.2d 822 (1974). RCW 4.28.020 clearly provides that the court is deemed to have acquired jurisdiction from the time an action is commenced. Therefore, the King County court acquired jurisdiction over this matter when the County filed its complaint. The fact that SSI completed both service and filing first does not confer jurisdiction on the Kittitas County court. See State ex rel. Uland v. Uland, 36 Wn.2d 176, 216 P.2d 756 (1950).