Court Opinion

ID: 9849669
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 04:44:02.967959+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:20:22.858233
License: Public Domain

Rosellini, J.
(dissenting) — The appellant’s punishment has been remitted. Since she was not found guilty of criminal contempt, the citation does not give her a criminal record. Any decision by this court sustaining the appellant’s contention would be of no use to her. The controversy has ended.
A moot case is one which seeks to determine an abstract question which does not rest upon existing facts or rights. Hansen v. West Coast Wholesale Drug Co., 47 Wn.2d 825, 289 P.2d 718 (1955). I see no compelling reason to take jurisdiction of this moot case.
Furthermore, the question decided by the majority was never properly raised in the trial court. The appellant admitted in open court that she had refused to testify. She did not request an opportunity to present further evidence to that court. Consequently, any right which she may have had to a further hearing was waived. State v. Hatten, 70 Wn.2d 618, 425 P.2d 7 (1967).
I would dismiss the appeal.
Finley, J., concurs with Rosellini, J.