Becerra v. City of Warden

71 P.3d 226, 117 Wash. App. 510
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedJune 19, 2003
DocketNo. 21383-8-III
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 71 P.3d 226 (Becerra v. City of Warden) 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
Becerra v. City of Warden, 71 P.3d 226, 117 Wash. App. 510 (Wash. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

Brown, C.J.

The City of Warden (City) impounded Mr. Becerra’s motor vehicle in connection with his arrest for driving with a suspended license. Although the district court overturned the license suspension, it did not allow recovery of impound fees to Mr. Becerra, citing a good faith exception under RCW 46.55.120(3)(e). The superior court affirmed. We granted Mr. Becerra’s petition for discretionary review for this first impression issue. Because we decide the good faith exception does not apply under these facts, we reverse.

FACTS

The critical facts are uncontested. On May 12, 2000, Mr. Becerra was cited for driving under the influence (DUI). He pleaded guilty on February 14, 2001. Between May 12, 2000 and February 14, 2001, Mr. Becerra’s driver’s license was suspended for three unpaid tickets and was still suspended when he pleaded guilty to the DUI. The Department of [514]*514Licensing (DOL) did not suspend Mr. Becerra’s license at the time of his February 14 DUI conviction.

Between February 14 and March 14, 2001, Mr. Becerra paid off his outstanding tickets. Mr. Becerra paid a $150 reinstatement fee on March 14, 2001, and DOL issued him a new driver’s license on that date.

On March 27, 2001, DOL issued a notice of suspension of Mr. Becerra’s driver’s license retroactive to February 14, 2001. DOL did not offer Mr. Becerra an opportunity for a hearing in connection with the suspension.

On March 31, 2001, a Warden police officer stopped Mr. Becerra and issued him a criminal complaint for driving while license suspended in the second degree. The City impounded Mr. Becerra’s car and issued him a criminal traffic complaint for driving while license suspended in the second degree. On April 2, 2001, Mr. Becerra received notice from DOL of the retroactive license suspension. On April 26, 2001, Mr. Becerra filed a request for an impound vehicle hearing in the Grant County District Court. Mr. Becerra redeemed his vehicle on May 4, 2001.

On July 11, 2001, the district court dismissed the criminal traffic complaint because DOL’s procedures deprived Mr. Becerra of due process and issued consistent findings of fact and conclusions of law one week later. On August 20, 2001, the district court ruled the impoundment of Mr. Becerra’s vehicle was proper because a Warden ordinance required impoundment where the driver’s license is suspended. The district court further ruled the good faith exception set forth under RCW 46.55.120(3)(e) applied, thus precluding Mr. Becerra from any monetary relief. On September 21, 2001, the district court denied Mr. Becerra’s CRLJ 59 motion for reconsideration.

Mr. Becerra then appealed to the Grant County Superior Court. The superior court affirmed the district court in a written decision. We granted discretionary review.

[515]*515ISSUES

First, we determine whether the trial court erred in deciding the impoundment was proper. If so, we analyze whether the “good faith” defense set forth in RCW 46.55.120(3)(e) precludes the owner of an improperly impounded vehicle of all monetary recovery for impoundment, towing, and storage fees. Last, we address attorney fees.

ANALYSIS

A. Standard of Review

This appeal turns on the correct meaning of the towing and impoundment statute, chapter 46.55 RCW and chapter 10.38 of the Warden Municipal Code (WMC). Statutory interpretation is a question of law subject to de novo review. State v. Beaver, 148 Wn.2d 338, 344, 60 P.3d 586 (2002); Berger v. Sonneland, 144 Wn.2d 91, 104-05, 26 P.3d 257 (2001). The reviewing court interprets the statute “to best advance the legislative purpose.” State v. C.J., 148 Wn.2d 672, 685, 63 P.3d 765 (2003) (citing Morris v. Blaker, 118 Wn.2d 133, 143, 821 P.2d 482 (1992)).

We begin our analysis with a plain meaning interpretation of the relevant statutory language in light of the underlying legislative purposes. Wash. Pub. Ports Ass’n v. Dep’t of Revenue, 148 Wn.2d 637, 645, 62 P.3d 462 (2003); Dep’t of Ecology v. Campbell & Gwinn, L.L.C., 146 Wn.2d 1, 11, 43 P.3d 4 (2002); see also Wagg v. Estate of Dunham, 146 Wn.2d 63, 73, 42 P.3d 968 (2002) (noting appellate court interprets statutory provision in light of entire statute and the legislature’s intent as set forth in the entire act and related statutes). Similarly, we interpret the statute in its entirety, reviewing all provisions of the statute in relation to each other. In re Det. of Williams, 147 Wn.2d 476, 490, 55 P.3d 597 (2002).

If the statute is unambiguous, it is not subject to judicial construction. Fraternal Order of Eagles, Tenino Aerie No. [516]*516564 v. Grand Aerie of Fraternal Order of Eagles, 148 Wn.2d 224, 239, 59 P.3d 655 (2002); State v. Glas, 147 Wn.2d 410, 415, 54 P.3d 147 (2002). We will not add language to an unambiguous statute even if we believe the legislature intended something else but failed to adequately express the alternative intent. Kilian v. Atkinson, 147 Wn.2d 16, 20, 50 P.3d 638 (2002). We assume the legislature meant exactly what it said when it enacted the statute. In re Pers. Restraint of King, 146 Wn.2d 658, 663, 49 P.3d 854 (2002); Berger, 144 Wn.2d at 105.

If the statute is ambiguous, we resort to tools of statutory construction, such as legislative history and relevant case law, to discern the meaning of the statute. Kilian, 147 Wn.2d at 21; Campbell & Gwinn, 146 Wn.2d at 12; Cockle v. Dep’t of Labor & Indus., 142 Wn.2d 801, 808, 16 P.3d 583 (2001). “A statute is ambiguous if it can be reasonably interpreted in more than one way, but it is not ambiguous simply because different interpretations are conceivable.” Kilian, 147 Wn.2d at 20-21 (citing State v. Keller, 143 Wn.2d 267, 276, 19 P.3d 1030 (2001), cert. denied, 534 U.S. 1130 (2002)).

B. Impoundment Decision

Was the impoundment proper under the relevant impoundment statutes? A municipality’s authority to impound a vehicle derives from chapter 46.55 RCW. See

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
71 P.3d 226, 117 Wash. App. 510, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/becerra-v-city-of-warden-washctapp-2003.