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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">A magnificent punt by a unanimous Supreme Court--avoiding ruling on any issue of law at all, and effectively confining the case to its facts. Do you have any
idea why they so carefully avoided making a binding ruling?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">And I wonder--did the CC&Rs have one of those miscellaneous provisions that says headings and titles are for convenience only and aren't to be used for interpretation
of the clauses themselves? Justice Gonzalez's opinion hinges on the outline structure of the CC&Rs.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Eric<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">SAYRE LAW OFFICES, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">1320 University St<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Seattle WA 98101-2837<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">phone 206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">fax 206-625-9040<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Patrick McDonald<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, September 03, 2015 10:49 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property Listserv<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBARP] Filmore Supreme Court opinion<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For community association practitioners - the Supreme Court’s decision in
<i>Filmore</i> came out today. I’ve attached it here. The court affirmed the lower courts by ruling that 90% of votes in the Association (as opposed to 67%) were required to adopt an amendment to the condominium declaration capping the number of rentals. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately (in my opinion at least), the court’s decision turned on the specific language in the condominium declaration before it. The court expressly declined to apply and interpret the amendment provisions of the Washington Condominium
Act (RCW 64.34.264), which may have provided a bright-line, blanket rule that all New Act condominiums could have relied on. Instead, the decision leaves some gray area for many New Act condominiums depending on the specific wording in their declarations.
And the opinion could have effects on other types of amendments beyond leasing restrictions. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Patrick McDonald<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="color:black">________________________<br>
<b>Pody & McDonald, PLLC</b><br>
1200 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1410<br>
Seattle, WA 98101-3106<br>
T: 206-467-1559<br>
F: 206-467-4489<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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