Court Opinion

ID: 9589986
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:50:45.243852+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:04:56.299787
License: Public Domain

*922Brachtenbach, J.
(concurring in part; dissenting in part) — I concur in part and dissent in part.
I agree with the majority that the respondents are barred from maintaining a declaratory judgment action by having failed first to pursue their administrative remedies. That should end the matter.
However, the majority steps forward and gratuitously renders an extensive advisory opinion interpreting state and federal statutes. Further it decides constitutional issues involving equal protection, police power and First Amendment rights. The only basis for this voluntary excursion into issues potentially present in a lawsuit not even before us is the majority's conclusion that it presumes that the City will continue its enforcement efforts and the respondents could raise these issues as a. defense to such enforcement action by the City. Thus the majority deals with anticipated questions in a suit which is not even in existence.
We have held since the enactment of the Uniform Declaratory Judgments Act, RCW 7.24, that there must exist an actual dispute between the parties as distinguished from a possible or potential dispute. Washington Beauty College, Inc. v. Huse, 195 Wash. 160, 164, 80 P.2d 403 (1938); DeGrief v. Seattle, 50 Wn.2d 1, 14, 297 P.2d 940 (1956). "The act may not be used for the purpose of obtaining purely advisory opinions." Seattle-First Nat'l Bank v. Crosby, 42 Wn.2d 234, 245, 254 P.2d 732 (1953).
This principle has been declared to be a sound rule of law. 1 W. Anderson, Actions for Declaratory Judgments § 65, at 130 (2d ed. 1951). I agree with the Michigan Supreme Court that a declaratory judgment statute does not constitute the court as "a fountain of legal advice." Flint v. Consumers Power Co., 290 Mich. 305, 309, 287 N.W. 475 (1939).
The majority in effect admits that it is anticipating defenses which respondents could raise to any enforcement action by the City. To anticipate is to consider in advance, to cause to occur prematurely, to deal with in advance, to fulfill beforehand, or to write in a way conditioned by *923knowledge or expectation of what will be treated later. Webster's Third New International Dictionary 94 (1971).
I disagree with some of the conclusions of the majority's advisory opinion, but will not extend this dissent therewith since I view the majority's pronouncements as not binding on anyone, including these parties.
Rosellini and Stafford, JJ., concur with Brachtenbach, J.
Reconsideration denied February 14, 1980.