Audrey B. Webster v. Murphy Resources, Inc.

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedOctober 16, 2018
Docket50843-5
StatusUnpublished

This text of Audrey B. Webster v. Murphy Resources, Inc. (Audrey B. Webster v. Murphy Resources, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Audrey B. Webster v. Murphy Resources, Inc., (Wash. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

Filed Washington State Court of Appeals Division Two

October 16, 2018

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

DIVISION II AUDREY B. WEBSTER, TRUSTEE OF THE No. 50843-5-II AUDREY WEBSTER REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST, UTD 7/20/16 and MARY J. HODGE,

Appellants,

v.

MURPHY RESOURCES, INC., a Washington corporation; SEAN M. MURPHY AND JILL A. MURPHY, husband and wife; GREG MURPHY AND JOLYNNE MURPHY, husband and wife; and JOHN DOES 1 - 5, UNPUBLISHED OPINION

Respondents.

WORSWICK, J. — Audrey B. Webster1 and her sister Mary J. Hodge (collectively

Webster) appeal two superior court orders that collectively dismissed all claims against all

defendants in this case. The first order granted summary judgment dismissal of Webster’s waste

claims against defendants Sean and Jill Murphy,2 Greg and Jolynn Murphy, and Murphy

1 It appears the Audrey B. Webster is a party to this action only in her capacity as the trustee of the Audrey Webster Revocable Living Trust, but the complaint does not make this clear. 2 Because Jill Murphy appears only in her capacity as Sean Murphy’s wife, this author refers to Sean and Jill Murphy as Sean Murphy or Sean. No. 50843-5-II

Resources Inc.3 The second order granted summary judgment dismissal of all claims

against defendant Sean. We affirm the trial court’s order granting summary judgment dismissal

of all claims against Sean because Webster failed to argue Sean’s direct timber trespass and

negligence liability below and because Sean is not vicariously liable for the actions of his

independent contractors, Greg and Murphy Resources, Inc. After the trial court entered its first

summary judgment order, Webster accepted Greg and Murphy Resources Inc.’s offer of

judgment, so we do not address any claims against them.

FACTS

Webster owned a five-acre parcel of unimproved forested land and Sean owned an

adjacent parcel of forested land. In 2012, Sean wanted to remove the trees on his property. Sean

contacted Webster and asked if she wished to have him remove the trees on her property at the

same time that he removed the trees from his property. Webster declined Sean’s offer.

Sean did not know the exact boundary of the property and did not obtain a survey of the

land or of the property line. Sean asked his brother Greg to remove the trees from his property.

Greg owned Murphy Resources Inc., a company that assisted landowners in obtaining timber

logging services.

Greg did not obtain a survey of Sean’s property and did not have a deed describing the

legal description of the property. But before beginning the logging project on Sean’s property,

3 Because Jolynn Murphy appears only in her capacity as a member of the marital community, this author refers to Greg and Jolynn Murphy collectively as Greg Murphy or Greg. Also, this author refers to Sean Murphy, Jill Murphy, Greg Murphy, Jolynn Murphy, and Murphy Resources Inc. collectively as “defendants” where necessary. Additionally, because many of the parties share the same last name, this author also refers to them individually by their first names when appropriate. No disrespect is intended.

2 No. 50843-5-II

Greg walked the length of the property and found a piece of rebar on the ground. Greg then used

a compass and marked a line on what he considered to be the property line.

Murphy Resources Inc. then hired a logging company.4 Greg instructed the loggers to

follow the line he had established and to cut down the trees on what he believed was Sean’s

property. The loggers followed Greg’s instructions and removed the trees. In addition to

removing Sean’s trees, the loggers removed 45 trees belonging to Webster.

In 2015, Webster discovered that a number of trees had been removed from the property.

Webster then filed a lawsuit against the defendants, alleging that they

individually or jointly, negligently, recklessly or intentionally failed to properly identify the boundaries of their property on which they conducted the timber harvest. Defendants and their agents or contractors, crossed over the property line and cut timber that belonged to Plaintiffs. Defendants’ trespass was either intentional, reckless or negligent, and is actionable under RCW 4.24.630 and RCW 64.12.030.

Clerk’s Papers (CP) at 2. Webster sought reasonable attorney fees, costs, and treble damages.

The parties then engaged in pretrial discovery. During a deposition, Sean stated that he

authorized Greg to take “all steps necessary” to harvest the timber on his property. CP at 382.

Sean stated that he relied on Greg to do the whole project and gave him complete authority to

accomplish the project. Sean further stated that he relied on Greg to find the deed and the legal

description of the property. Sean also stated that he did not discuss the boundary line or the need

for a survey with Greg. Sean also acknowledged that the logging that occurred on Webster’s

property was a trespass.

Sean clarified that he never entered into a contract with Greg and did not know that Greg

had hired the loggers to cut the trees. Sean affirmed that he did not participate in the logging and

4 The company that removed the trees is not a party to this appeal.

3 No. 50843-5-II

that he did not know how to determine a boundary line. Sean also disclosed that he did not know

how Greg located the boundary line and did not know the steps Greg took to inform the loggers

of the boundary line. Sean further stated that he lived in Hawaii, was not present at the time of

the logging, and did not know that the trespass had occurred until Webster filed the lawsuit.

Greg also provided deposition testimony and stated that Sean had given him “full

authority” to act on his behalf to conduct the timber harvest. CP at 366. Greg also stated that he

did not hire a surveyor or talk to Sean about the cost of a survey, and that he alone made the

decision to forego hiring a surveyor. Greg stated that he took full responsibility for marking the

boundary line in the manner that he did. CP at 405, p. 54. Greg affirmed that he told the loggers

where to cut and that the loggers followed the line that he had marked. Greg acknowledged that

the reason the trespass occurred was due to his incorrect marking of the boundary line.

The defendants collectively filed a motion for summary judgment, seeking dismissal of

Webster’s claims against them under RCW 64.12.030,5 the waste statute. The defendants argued

5 RCW 64.12.030 provides:

Whenever any person shall cut down, girdle, or otherwise injure, or carry off any tree, including a Christmas tree as defined in RCW 76.48.020

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