99 Wash. 674 | Wash. | 1918
The sole question presented by this appeal is whether or not the omission of the words “exclusive of the day of service” from the statutory form of summons pre
The sections of the statute governing the issuance, contents and form of the summons are §§ 2, 3 and 4 of ch. 127, Laws of 1893, p. 407, prescribing the manner of commencing civil actions in the superior courts. These sections are embodied without change in Rem. Code as §§ 221, 222 and 223. Omitting venue, title and signature, the form prescribed by § 223 is as follows:
“The state of Washington, -, to the said -, defendant: You are hereby summoned to appear within twenty days after service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service, and defend the above entitled action in the court aforesaid; and in case of your failure so to do, judgment will be rendered against you, according to the demand of the complaint, which will be filed with the clerk of said court, or a copy of which is herewith served upon you.”
It will be noted, without the necessity of particularizing, that this form, prescribed as “substantially” to be followed, does not embody everything found in the two prior sections relating to the issuance and contents of the summons. Wagnitz v. Ritter, 31 Wash. 343, 71 Pac. 1035. It only undertakes to perform the dominant purpose of any summons,
“The time within which an act is to be done shall be computed by excluding the first day and including the last. If the last day falls on a Sunday it shall be excluded.”
It is plain, therefore, that, by the very terms of this, another section of the same statute, the words “within twenty days after service,” even without the words “exclusive of the day of service,” mean precisely what they mean when expressly so qualified. We are thus forced to the conclusion that the summons before us substantially complies with the statutory form, unless we hold that the statutory form is mandatory regardless of the fact that the statute itself makes a substantial compliance sufficient.
It may be stated as a general rule that a defect such as that here presented, even in writs or other technical process of the court, would not render such process void. Yonge v. Broxson, 23 Ala. 684; Merrill v. Barnard, 61 N. C. 569; Butcher v. Brand, 6 Iowa 235; Morgan v. Woods, 33 Ind. 23. In each of the following cases a summons much more defective than that here involved was sustained: Guion v. Melvin, 69 N. C. 242; Porter v. Vundercook, supra. In Guion v. Melvin, the court said:
“We do not say that this deviation from the statute form is such an irregularity as will make the summons void, although it is always best and safest to follow the form prescribed by the code. But clearly the defendant cannot be abridged of any right by such an irregularity; he is not obliged to appear until the twentieth day after service, exclusive of the day of service, and any proceeding had before that day is null and void. We think the probate judge was not bound to dismiss the proceeding for the irregularity, but that he should have allowed the defendants the time allowed by the code for an appearance.”
We hold that the summons in the case before us presents a substantial compliance with the statute, and that its filing in court with proof of service gave the court jurisdiction to render the personal judgment at any time after twenty days from the date of service, computed as prescribed in § 252. The summons was not void, hence the judgment was not void. The judgment was not prematurely entered. Respondent offers no excuse for not appearing and initiating his defense, if defense he had, within the twenty days, however computed. The judgment not being void, respondent could rightfully procure its vacation only by showing some excuse valid in law for his failure to appear, and, at the same time, alleging and proving prima facie that he had a valid defense upon the merits. Paltro v. Gavenas, 97 Wash. 327, 166 Pac. 1156; Chehalis Coal Co. v. Laisure, 97 Wash. 422, 166 Pac. 1158;
The order appealed from is reversed, with direction to the trial court to reinstate the judgment as originally entered. Main, Parker, Fullerton, and Webster, JJ., concur.