Court Opinion

ID: 9854146
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 06:01:59.447988+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:22:57.146428
License: Public Domain

Pekelis, J.
(dissenting)—I respectfully dissent. I would uphold the trial court's determination that defendants had waived the defense of insufficient service of process.
I would affirm the trial court under the waiver principles of CR 12(h). CR 12(g) and (h) specifically provide that when a party makes a motion under this rule but omits the defense of insufficiency of service, then that defense is waived. In its responsive pleading to French's motion for partial summary judgment on liability, the defendants "asked" the court to dismiss plaintiff's claim under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA). The majority characterizes the defendants' action as "a request for dismissal" and concludes that it was not a motion under CR 12.
*228The majority's technical characterization of the defendant's action as a "request" rather than a motion under CR 12 puts form over substance. The sufficiency of a motion is measured by its content, not its technical format or language. See Colorado Nat'l Bank v. Merlino, 35 Wn. App. 610, 668 P.2d 1304, review denied, 100 Wn.2d 1032 (1983). In my view, this "request" was the constructive equivalent of a cross motion. In effect, the defendants made a motion to dismiss the CPA claim. The defendants argued that the CPA does not apply to an attorney's acts of negligence or malpractice, and thus, French failed to state a claim under CR 12(b). The court agreed. It is puzzling to see how the court's dismissal of the CPA claim can be characterized as anything except the granting of a motion to dismiss.
I would hold that when affirmative relief is sought, whether or not it is designated as a motion, it should be considered as such for purposes of CR 12(h). I would also apply the rule to one who "initiates" the "motion" as well as to one who makes the motion in response to another's motion. To the extent this analysis departs from Meadowdale Neighborhood Comm. v. Edmonds, 27 Wn. App. 261, 616 P.2d 1257 (1980), I would reconsider our analysis therein.
The majority asserts that the policy underlying CR 12(g) and (h) would not be furthered by applying these waiver provisions here. I disagree. If, as the majority states, "the primary purpose of CR 12(g) is to prevent successive rounds of pretrial motions", it is totally irrelevant that "Gabriel and Morris requested dismissal of one of French's claims in response to a motion brought by French". Majority, at 225. This distinction has no bearing on the desired policy of preventing successive rounds of pretrial motions.
General waiver principles also support the trial court's finding of waiver. The defense of insufficient process is subject to common law principles of waiver as well as to the specific provisions of CR 12(h). See Raymond v. Fleming, 24 Wn. App. 112, 600 P.2d 614 (1979), review denied, 93 Wn.2d 1004 (1980). In order to preserve the defense of lack *229of personal jurisdiction, the defendant must "proceed without equivocation, precisely and with dispatch" or that defense is waived. Sanders v. Sanders, 63 Wn.2d 709, 714, 388 P.2d 942 (1964).
Where defendants fail to avail themselves of opportunities to contest the sufficiency of service of process, courts have held that the defense of insufficient service of process is waived. Burton v. Northern Dutchess Hosp., 106 F.R.D. 477, 481 (S.D.N.Y. 1985). Similarly, when a defendant takes action that is inconsistent with the hypothesis that the court lacks personal jurisdiction, the defendant waives, or may be estopped from asserting, the defense of insufficient service of process. Raymond, 24 Wn. App. at 114-15.
The trial court determined, after "considering all the evidence, the court file, the pleadings, the pre-trial discovery, as well as pre-trial motions, and lack thereof", that the defendants had waived any claims of defective service of process. The following evidence substantiates the trial court's conclusions: (1) the defendants delayed the filing of their answer until 6 months after their notice of appearance; (2) approximately 1 year after the filing of their answer, the defendants consented and stipulated to an amended complaint; (3) the defendants proceeded with discovery which was unrelated to the defense of insufficient service of process; (4) the defendants objected to the trial setting, but failed to raise the defense of insufficient service of process; (5) the defendants completed discovery and were ready to go to trial on the day they moved to dismiss; (6) the defendants, in an affirmative pleading (a memorandum in opposition to plaintiff's summary judgment), effectively moved the trial court to grant a summary judgment in favor of the defendants which the trial court granted and (7) the defendants did not move to dismiss the case for deficiency of process until 29 months after the complaint was filed.
In conclusion, it is both logical and efficient for the trial court to determine jurisdiction over the parties at an early stage in the proceedings. Allowing defendants, as the *230majority would do, to complete discovery, defend and make motions, enter stipulations before the trial court, and then wait until the day of trial to move for dismissal hardly promotes the efficient use of judicial resources.
I would affirm the trial court's finding of waiver under both CR 12(g) and (h) and common law waiver principles.
Review granted at 114 Wn.2d 1026 (1990).