Opinion ID: 1162670
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 16

Heading: Equitable Estoppel Rejected.

Text: We address first the Robinsons' equitable estoppel argument as it attacks the ability of the City to even assert the defense. The Robinsons rely on a statement in Hart v. Clark Cy., supra , that the County in that case collected its fees in good faith and thus was not estopped from asserting the statute of limitation. By contrast, the Robinsons argue, in this case the City knew the HPO was invalid and therefore should be estopped. The Hart court noted that estoppel is available to prevent a defendant from raising a statute of limitation defense where the defendant has fraudulently or inequitably invited a plaintiff to forebear from commencing suit until the applicable statute of limitation has run, barring the plaintiff's action. Hart, at 119. The court in Hart did not apply the estoppel doctrine, however, because the requisite showing was not made. Nor have the Robinsons made the required showing in this case. [29, 30] Equitable estoppel is not favored, and the party asserting estoppel must prove each of its elements by clear, cogent, and convincing evidence. Mercer v. State, 48 Wn. App. 496, 500, 739 P.2d 703, review denied, 108 Wn.2d 1037 (1987). The elements to be proved are: first, an admission, statement, or act inconsistent with a claim afterward asserted; second, action by another in reasonable reliance on that act, statement, or admission; and third, injury to the party who relied if the court allows the first party to contradict or repudiate the prior act, statement, or admission. Board of Regents of UW v. Seattle, 108 Wn.2d 545, 551, 741 P.2d 11 (1987). Estoppel is appropriate to prohibit a defendant from raising a statute of limitations defense when a defendant has  fraudulently or inequitably invited a plaintiff to delay commencing suit until the applicable statute of limitation has expired. Del Guzzi Constr. Co. v. Global Northwest Ltd., 105 Wn.2d 878, 885, 719 P.2d 120 (1986). The Robinsons do not argue or show that the City or any of its officials in any way invited any member of the Robinsons' class to delay filing suit. The existence of earlier decisions in this court upholding lower court challenges to the HPO bears testament to the fact that while the Robinsons and their class relented, others did bring suit. Because the City did nothing to induce delay in the filing of this action, we reject the plaintiffs' equitable estoppel argument.