Collins v. Sea Products Co.
Collins v. Sea Products Co.
Opinion of the Court
— Josiah Collins and wife and F. H. Brownell and wife are and were the owners of improved lands abutting on the waters of Cultus Bay, in
More than two years after the entry of the judgment, the Sea Products Company, together -with. Dan Oaks and wife (all of whom were named as parties in the original summons and complaint), served on the plaintiffs and filed in the action their several motions for an order “dissolving and setting aside the order and judgment entered herein on the 20th day of April, 1920,” for the reason, as stated in the motions, that the defendant had rebuilt its plant so as to greatly reduce the nuisances, complained of, had ceased casting-offal and debris into the bay, and greatly reduced the escaping- of oils and greases into the waters of the bay. The motions were supported by affidavits. Upon appropriate objections by the property owners, the trial court entered an order denying the motions to modify or vacate the final judgment, and from that disposition of the case, the parties making the motions have appealed.
Without discussing or deciding the question as to whether or not a final decree can be modified or set
In tbe case of Anderson v. Anderson, 97 Wash. 202, 166 Pac. 60, we said:
“We understand tbe rule to be, and there is no exception to it as far as we are advised, that a court cannot, upon petition or motion and by subsequent order, amend or modify its decree unless tbe. right so to do is reserved. A court has jurisdiction to vacate a decree and to enter another decree under certain conditions enumerated and within tbe time limit fixed by statute. ”
In cases similar to this in principle where tbe procedure by motion or petition in tbe same cause has been attempted, rather than by tbe commencement of another independent action by summons and complaint, we have uniformly held that tbe motion or petition must be served and filed within one year from tbe date of tbe judgment. Ruge v. Ruge, 97 Wash. 51, 165 Pac. 1063, L. R. A. 1917F 721; Davis v. Seavey, 95 Wash. 57, 163 Pac. 35, 35 Ann. Cas. 1918D 314; Bruhn v. Pasco Land Co., 67 Wash. 490, 121 Pac. 981; Nelson v. Nelson, 56 Wash. 571, 106 Pac. 138, 107 Pac. 195; Greene v. Williams, 13 Wash. 674, 43 Pac. 938.
On several occasions, for short periods of time each, commencing immediately after tbe final decree was entered, for valuable considerations paid, tbe respondents permitted tbe Sea Products Company to remain in its present location upon representations that it was about to conclude arrangements for a new location
Affirmed.
Main, C. J., Mackintosh, Holcomb, and Bridges, JJ., concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.