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--></style></head><body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">IMHO – your client had no legal right to record a Lis Pendens as that is only for circumstances where the issue is about ownership of the property; not a lien. Let the argument begin </span><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">😊</span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">A lis pendens is a mechanism for giving notice that a lawsuit that concerns title to real property has been filed. RCW 4.28.320. A lis pendens may be filed “[a]t any time after an action affecting title to real property has been commenced.” RCW 4.28.320. But a party who files a wrongful lis pendens risks liability in damages for doing so. RCW 4.28.328 governs, and it provides in pertinent part,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">(a) “Lis pendens” means a lis pendens filed under RCW 4.28.320 . . . or other instrument having the effect of clouding the title to real property, however named. . . .</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">(2) A claimant in an action not affecting the title to real property against which the lis pendens was filed is liable to an aggrieved party who prevails on a motion to cancel the lis pendens, for actual damages caused by filing the lis pendens, and for reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred in canceling the lis pendens.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">(3) Unless the claimant establishes a substantial justification for filing the lis pendens, a claimant is liable to an aggrieved party who prevails in defense of the action in which the lis pendens was filed for actual damages caused by filing the lis pendens, and in the court’s discretion, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in defending the action.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Washington courts have not established either a specific definition or guiding criteria to determine when and whether an action “affect[s] title to real property.” RCW 4.28.320. But our courts, in construing other aspects of our lis pendens statutes, have relied on persuasive authority from Arizona, whose own lis pendens law is similar to ours. See <i>Schwab v. Seattle</i>, 64 Wn. App. 742, 748, 826 P.2d 1089 (1992). In determining whether a lis pendens was wrongfully recorded, their courts also consider whether the action is one “‘affecting title to real property.’” <i>Santa Fe Ridge Homeowners’ Ass’n v. Bartschi</i>, 219 Ariz. 391, 395-96, 199 P.3d 646 (Ct. App. 2008) (quoting ARIZ. REV. STAT. ANN. § 12-1191(A)).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Sincerely,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Tom</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Thomas J. Westbrook</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Attorney at Law</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><img width="304" height="106" style="width:3.1666in;height:1.1in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D3AE34.A62D5EC0" alt="whiteRKCS_newlogo50_email_sig"></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Rodgers, Kee & Card, P.S.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">324 West Bay Drive NW, Suite 201</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Olympia, Washington 98502</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Phone: 360-352-8311</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Facsimile: 360-352-8501</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Email: </span><span style="color:#1f497d"><a href="mailto:tjw@buddbaylaw.com"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563c1">tjw@buddbaylaw.com</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Skype: thomas.westbrook</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><a href="http://www.buddbaylaw.com/" target="_BLANK????"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563c1">www.buddbaylaw.com</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">The information contained in this email and attachment(s) are for the exclusive use of the addressee(s) and may contain private, privileged and/or confidential information. If you are not the addressee, you are strictly prohibited from reading, photocopying, distributing or otherwise using this email or its contents in any way. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone at 360-352-8311 or by e-mail to </span><span style="color:#1f497d"><a href="mailto:shannon@buddbaylaw.com"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563c1">shannon@buddbaylaw.com</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">, and destroy the original message from your electronic files.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><div><div style="border:none;border-top:solid #e1e1e1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in"><p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Douglas W. Scott<br><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, February 25, 2018 11:35 AM<br><b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property Listserv (<a href="mailto:wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>) <<a href="mailto:wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> [WSBARP] lis pendens</p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Client filed Lien for excavation work against a subdivision. I foreclosed on Lien in KC Superior and recorded a Lis Pendens. Attorney for owner will issue a 1 1/2 times bond and has demanded that the Lis Pendens then be dismissed as it is interfering with sales of the lots or he will claim atty fees under RCW 4.28.328. I see no need to remove the lis pendens as the bond is supposed to allow the properties to sell since the bond now guarantees payment of any judgment. Does my client have exposure for not removing the lis pendens after the bond is in place? </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Douglas W. Scott</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Law Offices of Douglas W. Scott</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Windermere Building</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">1810 15th Place NW, Suite 203<br>Issaquah, Washington, 98027<br>V. 425.392.8550<br>F. 425-392-2829 </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="http://www.davisscottlaw.com/">www.davisscottlaw.com</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div></body></html>