Court Opinion

ID: 9625188
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 07:30:47.736131+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:06:02.559213
License: Public Domain

Olson, J.
(dissenting) — Appellants assign error to the finding of the trial court that the “ ‘unconstitutional acts of the legislature cited herein renders [sic] the plaintiffs uncertain and insecure with respect to their rights, status and legal relation.’ ” This assignment of error is not argued, but it goes to the jurisdiction of the court, and, in my opinion, it should be sustained. The parties cannot stipulate jurisdiction. Adams v. Walla Walla, 196 Wash. 268, 271, 82 P. (2d) 584 (1938); 1 Anderson, Declaratory Judgments (2d ed.), 227, § 124. They should not be permitted to accomplish the same result by failure to argue an assignment of error.
The applicable rule is stated in Kahin v. Lewis, 42 Wn. (2d) 897, 901, 259 P. (2d) 420 (1953):
“This court has many times held that, in order to invoke the jurisdiction of the court under the declaratory judgment act, there must be an actual, existing justiciable controversy between parties having opposing interests, which interests must be direct and substantial and involve an actual, as distinguished from a possible, potential, or contingent dispute. Washington Beauty College v. Huse, 195 Wash. 160, 80 P. (2d) 403; State v. Fruitland Irr. Dist., 196 Wash. 11, 81 P. (2d) 844; Adams v. Walla Walla, 196 Wash. 268, 82 P. (2d) 584; Brehm v. Retail Food & Drug Clerks Union, 4 Wn. (2d) 98, 102 P. (2d) 685; Conaway v. Time Oil Co., 34 Wn. (2d) 884, 210 P. (2d) 1012.”
We said in Acme Finance Co. v. Huse, 192 Wash. 96, 73 P. (2d) 341 (1937), in which the constitutionality of the declar*900atory judgment act was decided, that “Where the plaintiff has no legal interest, no judgment can be rendered.” At p. 107, we stated that a proper case for relief under the act is presented when a plaintiff alleges
“(1) that he will be directly damaged in person or in property by enforcement of a statute; (2) that the defendant is charged with the duty of enforcing the statute; and (3) is enforcing it or is about to do so; and claims, upon these allegations, that such enforcement will result in the infringement of his (the plaintiff’s) constitutional rights.”
. Also, see Heisey v. Port of Tacoma, 4 Wn. (2d) 76, 83 et seq., 102 P. (2d) 258 (1940), where the quoted language is approved and other cases and authorities are cited, including Borchard, Declaratory Judgments. See op. cit. supra (2d ed.), pp. 15, 26 et seq.; 1 Anderson, Declaratory Judgments (2d ed.), 67, § 17, 260, § 138, citing DeCano v. State, 7 Wn. (2d) 613 [p. 616], 110 P. (2d) 627 (1941). Also, see Conaway v. Time Oil Co., 34 Wn. (2d) 884, 895, 210 P. (2d) 1012 (1949), and Seattle First National Bank v. Crosby, 42 Wn. (2d) 234, 245, 254 P. (2d) 732 (1953), stating that a declaratory judgment action cannot be used to obtain purely advisory opinions.
None of the plaintiffs has a legal interest in the subject matter of this action. The terms of all justices of the peace expire before the effective date of the questioned act. Any incumbent justice can be nó more than a potential candidate for the office for the subsequent term. His interest, if any, is too remote and uncertain to entitle him to invoke the declaratory judgment act. He can show no direct or substantial injury threatened to or suffered by him, in his person or property, by the enforcement of the questioned statutes, to present a justiciable issue in this case. Any opinion which a court may render at the instance of such a party is purely advisory.
For these reasons, it appears necessary to dismiss this action.
Hill, Donworth, and Schwellenbach, JJ., concur with Olson, J.