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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">Nuisance?</span></font><i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;font-style:italic"> See Gaines v. Pierce Cty.</span></font></i><font color="black"><span style="color:black">,
66 Wn. App. 715, 719 (1992):<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><font size="2" color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black;background:white">Nuisance can be committed negligently. </span></font><i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;font-style:italic">Atherton
Condo. Ass'n v. Blume Dev. Co.,</span></font></i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;background:white"> 115 Wash.2d 506, 527, 799 P.2d 250 (1990); </span></font><i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;font-style:italic">Hostetler v. Ward,</span></font></i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;background:white"> 41
Wash.App. 343, 357–59, 704 P.2d 1193 (1985), quoting </span></font><i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;font-style:italic">Taylor v. Cincinnati</span></font></i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;background:white"> [143 Ohio St. 426, 55
N.E.2d 724 (1944) ]. So can trespass. </span></font><i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;font-style:italic">Zimmer v. Stephenson,</span></font></i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;background:white"> 66 Wash.2d 477, 403 P.2d 343 (1965).
Indeed, there is little remaining difference between trespass and nuisance. </span></font><i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;font-style:italic">Bradley v. American Smelting & Refining Co.,</span></font></i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;background:white"> 104
Wash.2d 677, 684, 709 P.2d 782 (1985); 1 W. Rodgers, </span></font><i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;font-style:italic">Environmental Law–Air and Water</span></font></i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;background:white"> § 2.15 at
126–27 (1986). Both hinge on an invasion of plaintiff's interest in property. </span></font><i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;font-style:italic">Bradley,</span></font></i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;background:white"> 104 Wash.2d
at 689, 690, 709 P.2d 782. The distinction between direct and indirect invasions has been abandoned, </span></font><i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;font-style:italic">Bradley,</span></font></i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;background:white"> 104
Wash.2d at 689, 709 P.2d 782, and it no longer matters whether the invading agent is tangible or intangible. </span></font><i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;font-style:italic">Bradley,</span></font></i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;background:white"> 104
Wash.2d at 690, 709 P.2d 782, quoting </span></font><i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;font-style:italic">Borland v. Sanders Land Co.,</span></font></i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;background:white"> 369 So.2d 523, 529 (Ala.1979).
The only remaining difference—arguably not a useful one—is that trespass “interferes with the right to exclusive possession of property,” while nuisance intrudes on “the interest in use and enjoyment of property.” </span></font><i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;font-style:italic">Bradley,</span></font></i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;background:white"> 104
Wash.2d at 690, 709 P.2d 782, quoting </span></font><i><font color="black"><span style="color:black;font-style:italic">Borland v. Sanders Land Co., supra.</span></font></i><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
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</span></font><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">I wanted to say trespass, but that may require the right to exclusive possession. Yet, wouldn’t blocking an easement be a trespass?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" color="#1f497d" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Rod Harmon</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;font-weight:bold"> Attorney at Law</span></font></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> Bothell, WA 98041</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> Tel: (425) 402-7800</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> <a href="mailto:rodharmon@msn.com"><font color="#0563c1"><span style="color:#0563C1">rodharmon@msn.com</span></font></a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-weight:bold">From:</span></font></b> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com]
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">On Behalf Of </span></b>Eric Nelsen<br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Sent:</span></b> Monday, May 11, 2020 12:14 PM<br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">To:</span></b> 'WSBA Real Property Listserv' <wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</span></b> [WSBARP] Cause of action and measure of damages for intentional interference with pipe easement<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Client has an express easement for water line over neighbor's property, and the neighbor intentionally prevents its use by destroying the pipe. Client elects to just relocate
the pipe to avoid dealing with the neighbor. The cost to relocate is likely lower than cost of litigation, not to mention the bonus avoidance of future bad behavior which is highly likely given the neighbor's volatility and ongoing pattern of harassment over
several years.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Can the client sue the neighbor for
<b><i><span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic">damages</span></i></b> for interference with the express easement, with measure of damages being the cost to
<b><i><span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic">relocate</span></i></b> the pipe? If so, what's the cause of action? Does quiet title still work for a damages-only claim in this scenario? The "damages" statutes in Ch. 7.28 RCW appear to contemplate mainly
a case where plaintiff wins adverse possession but defendant has constructed improvements on the property now possessed by plaintiff. Obviously that's not the case here.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Tortious destruction of property works for damage to the existing pipe, but cost to repair would likely be different, and lower than, cost to relocate. (The client's problem is
that having the work done on the neighbor's property would be an ordeal, given the neighbor's behavior.) I'd love to get treble damages under RCW 4.24.630 but I think there is case law indicating that the statute doesn't apply when the damage is done on one's
own property, even when it's damage to property owned by a neighbor and lawfully present due to an easement. Am I wrong I hope?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">But aside from the destruction of property, this is also interference with the legal right under the easement, basically rendering it impossible as a practical matter for client
to peaceably use the easement. What damages can compensate for that? Could the cost to relocate the pipe to a different location, be argued as the measure of the value of the easement itself?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Is there a potential problem with client "voluntarily" deciding to relocate the pipe? Obviously it could be construed as abandoning the easement, but does it also potentially
bar a remedy for interference with the easement?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Eric<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Sayre Law Offices, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><a href="mailto:eric@sayrelawoffices.com">eric@sayrelawoffices.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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