McGill v. Wood

654 P.2d 705, 33 Wash. App. 265, 1982 Wash. App. LEXIS 3388
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedNovember 23, 1982
DocketNo. 4820-9-III
StatusPublished

This text of 654 P.2d 705 (McGill v. Wood) 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
McGill v. Wood, 654 P.2d 705, 33 Wash. App. 265, 1982 Wash. App. LEXIS 3388 (Wash. Ct. App. 1982).

Opinion

Munson, J.

Charles McGill appeals a trial court's refusal to set aside a settlement entered pursuant to SPR 98.16W. He contends the trial court acted without jurisdiction in entering the compromise settlement because he was not given notice of the proceedings. We agree and remand with instructions to set aside the settlement.

On October 15, 1978, Charles, then 16 years of age, turned his motorcycle in front of an oncoming motorcycle ridden by Blake Wood, also a juvenile. As a result of the [266]*266ensuing accident, Blake was killed and Charles was seriously injured. Charles received medical attention in Washington for 2 months, but then returned to California to live with his mother. Although he had lived with his father in Washington for approximately 9 months, his mother was his custodial parent pursuant to an earlier California separation decree.

On September 7, 1979, Thomas McGill, Charles' father, petitioned for the appointment of a guardian ad litem to compromise all claims and obtain mutual releases arising out of the accident. Thomas McGill's signature on the petition was notarized by the attorney appointed as guardian ad litem to investigate the claim and offered settlement. Mr. McGill was represented by a law firm of which the guardian ad litem was not a member. The petition for appointment of guardian ad litem, the order appointing the guardian, the guardian's oath, the offer of compromise, the petition to compromise and the order approving the compromise were all signed September 7, 1979. The record does not contain a report of the guardian ad litem.

This court asked counsel to comment on whether the lack of a written report nullified any further lower court action. Respondents' counsel replied that the guardian ad litem's petition to compromise contained sufficient facts to fully apprise the court. We perceive, however, the intent of SPR 98.16W is better met when a separate written report is submitted to justify the contents of the petition. A petition containing only counsel's conclusions does not take the place of a written report. See the discussion in Handley v. Mortland, 54 Wn.2d 489, 342 P.2d 612 (1959).

Charles' California attorney contacted present Washington counsel to investigate the accident after Charles turned 18. Neither counsel was aware of the settlement proceedings and as soon as the compromise was discovered, the Washington counsel contacted Charles and his mother. They expressly disavowed any desire to be part of the compromise. Mrs. McGill states in her affidavit:

[267]*2677. That on or about the time that Charles was to be released from the hospital here in California, I was contacted by Thomas McGill who wanted me to execute a release on behalf of Charles, releasing the other parties from liability for Charles' injuries.
8. That I refused to sign any release, on behalf of Charles, relieving anyone of liability for Charles' injuries.

Thomas McGill and the guardian ad litem admit they did not tell Charles of either the guardian's appointment or the pending offer of compromise. No notice of the proceeding was served on the custodial parent, Mrs. McGill, or Charles.

A petition to set aside the compromise was denied October 2, 1981. As the basis for its decision, the trial court stated SPR 98.16W1 and RCW 11.88: "are independent and alternative methods of settling minors' claims, and . . . pursuant to S.P.R. 98.16W actual Notice to Charles McGill was not required".

Charles contends the court's actions are void because he was not provided with notice as required by RCW 11.88-.040. We agree.

RCW 11.88.040 provides in pertinent part:

Before appointing a guardian or a limited guardian, notice of a hearing, to be held not less than ten days after service thereof, shall be given personally to the alleged incompetent or disabled person, if over fourteen years of age.

(Italics ours.) No one contends this notice was provided. Because notice was not provided, the court did not have jurisdiction. Ashley v. Superior Court, 83 Wn.2d 630, 635, 521 P.2d 711 (1974), quoting from Mullane v. Central [268]*268Hanover Bank & Trust Co., 339 U.S. 306, 314-15, 94 L. Ed. 865, 70 S. Ct. 652 (1950), states:

An elementary and fundamental requirement of due process in any proceeding which is to be accorded finality is notice reasonably calculated, under all the circumstances, to apprise interested parties of the pendency of the action and afford them an opportunity to present their objections.

In re Teeters, 173 Wash. 138, 21 P.2d 1032 (1933); Mayer v. Rice, 113 Wash. 144, 193 P. 723 (1920); State ex rel. Lowary v. Superior Court, 41 Wash. 450, 83 P. 726 (1906);2 In re Bouchat, 11 Wn. App. 369, 522 P.2d 1168 (1974); see Hayward v. Hansen, 97 Wn.2d 614, 617, 647 P.2d 1030 (1982). See also 42 Am. Jur. 2d Infants § 160, at 151-52 (1969).

As the court stated in Mayer v. Rice, supra at 148:

It is clear that the court acted without jurisdiction. The proceeding is statutory, and a substantial compliance with the statute is necessary to the appointment of a legally constituted guardian. Here there was no compliance, or purported compliance, with the statute relating to the giving and service of notice. The court, on the presentation of the petition, appointed the guardian without notice of any kind, notwithstanding it appeared from the very petition upon which the appointment was made that the person for whose property the appointment was sought was within the jurisdiction of the court ... As we held in State ex rel. Lowary v. Superior Court, 41 Wash. 450, 83 Pac. 726, the requirement that service be made on the person having the care and control of the minor, ... is jurisdictional, and any appointment of a general guardian without giving such notice is void.

(Italics ours.) The respondent Woods' contention that SPR 98.16W provides an independent and alternate method of [269]*269settling minors' claims is incorrect.

Except for citing to "the long established practice in the State of Washington" (Brief of Respondent, at 9), the Woods offer no authority to show the Supreme Court meant to circumvent statutory notice requirements by providing an alternate method. We will not assume our Supreme Court created an alternate method which ignores earlier decisions concerning the jurisdictional necessity of notice.

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Related

Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co.
339 U.S. 306 (Supreme Court, 1950)
Handley v. Mortland
342 P.2d 612 (Washington Supreme Court, 1959)
Hayward v. Hansen
647 P.2d 1030 (Washington Supreme Court, 1982)
Bouchat v. Uphoff
522 P.2d 1168 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1974)
Ashley v. Superior Court
521 P.2d 711 (Washington Supreme Court, 1974)
In Re the Guardianship of Teeters
21 P.2d 1032 (Washington Supreme Court, 1933)
Mayer v. Rice
193 P. 723 (Washington Supreme Court, 1920)
State ex rel. Lowary v. Superior Court
83 P. 726 (Washington Supreme Court, 1906)
Burke v. Northern Pacific Railway Co.
149 P. 335 (Washington Supreme Court, 1915)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
654 P.2d 705, 33 Wash. App. 265, 1982 Wash. App. LEXIS 3388, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcgill-v-wood-washctapp-1982.