Hafid Tahraoui v. Franklin Brown ( 2018 )


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  •                                                                                              Filed
    Washington State
    Court of Appeals
    Division Two
    February 13, 2018
    IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
    DIVISION II
    HAFID TAHRAOUI, an individual,                                    No. 49625-9-II
    Appellant,
    UNPUBLISHED OPINION
    v.
    FRANKLIN BROWN; RUSTIN WILDER;
    ERIN ORBITS; JOHN and JANE DOES 1-4
    individually, and in his or her official capacity;
    PIERCE COUNTY, a municipal corporation;
    PIERCE COUNTY SHERIFF, a county
    agency;       and       PIERCE         COUNTY
    PROSECUTOR, a county agency,
    Respondents.
    BJORGEN, C.J. — Hafid Tahraoui appeals from the superior court’s grant of summary
    judgment and award of statutory attorney fees and costs against him in his tort claim for
    malicious prosecution. He argues that genuine issues of material fact preclude a grant of
    summary judgment and that the superior court improperly awarded statutory attorney fees and
    costs.
    No. 49625-9-II
    We hold that the superior court properly granted summary judgment and properly
    awarded statutory attorney fees to the defendants. We hold also that the superior court erred in
    awarding the jury demand fee as a cost. Consequently, we affirm in part and reverse in part.
    FACTS
    On May 10, 2008, Tahraoui was at an estate sale at the residence of Charles Pate.
    Tahraoui asked Pate how much he wanted for an aluminum trailer hitch, and Pate responded that
    it was not for sale. After Tahraoui left, Pate noticed that the trailer hitch was missing. On May
    11, Pate called Tahraoui and asked him to return the hitch. Tahraoui told Pate that it would be
    inconvenient to return the hitch at that time and that he would return it later. Tahraoui also told
    Pate that he had taken the hitch because he felt that he was short-changed at the estate sale and
    the hitch served as a compromise. Tahraoui stated that he wanted $100 for its return. Pate then
    called law enforcement to report the hitch as stolen.
    On May 11, Deputy Franklin Brown interviewed Pate and another witness, Shawna Fore.
    Fore told Brown that she saw Tahraoui place the trailer hitch into his vehicle before he left the
    estate sale. Brown then called Tahraoui and left a message stating that he could potentially be
    arrested if he did not return the trailer hitch. On May 12, Brown received a phone call from Pate,
    who stated that Tahraoui had called him in order to make arrangements to return the trailer hitch.
    However, when Brown called Tahraoui, he denied making any arrangements with Pate.
    Also on May 12, Lieutenant Rustin Wilder was notified of an administrative complaint
    filed by Taharoui regarding Brown. The complaint alleged that Brown was using his authority
    and position as a deputy sheriff to influence a dispute between Pate and Tahraoui. Wilder spoke
    with Brown, who relayed that he had no prior knowledge of Pate and that Tahraoui had “spoken
    2
    No. 49625-9-II
    with the victim and tried to sell the stolen hitch back to the victim for $100.” Clerk’s Papers
    (CP) at 44. Wilder interpreted this information as “an admission that [Tahraoui] had the hitch
    and was trying to extort money from the victim for recovery of the stolen property.” CP at 44.
    Wilder then called Tahraoui to attempt to set up a ruse to have him come to the police station in
    order to arrest him. Tahraoui declined to go to the police station.
    On May 23, Tahraoui called Deputy Montgomery Minion to give him his version of the
    incident. According to Tahraoui, on May 10 he was at Pate’s estate sale and Pate’s father,
    Shelly,1 sold him the trailer hitch and other items for $70. Tahraoui stated that he “gave [Shelly]
    one hundred dollars in $20.00 bills and in return got a $100.00 bill.” CP at 38. When Tahraoui
    returned home, he noticed that he was missing $100.00 and called Pate to ask if he had seen the
    $100.00 bill Shelly had given him. Pate responded that he did not have any $100.00 bills and
    that Shelly was the only one handling the cash at the sale. Tahraoui also recounted how on May
    11, Pate had called him claiming that he had stolen the trailer hitch.
    After hearing his account, Minion told Tahraoui that his account differed from those of
    Pate, Brown, and Wilder and that he would still need to submit the case to the prosecutor’s office
    for review. According to Minion, Tahraoui acknowledged that if he returned the hitch to Pate
    the incident could likely be resolved and agreed to make arrangements with Pate to return the
    trailer hitch. However, at his deposition Tahraoui disputed that he “agreed” to return the hitch.
    CP at 129. Tahraoui stated that he “said I’ll think about it, but I never said I will–I will give you
    the hitch or made an arrangement to give them the hitch.” CP at 129.
    1
    Shelly is also referred to as Pate’s stepfather.
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    No. 49625-9-II
    In Minion’s report of July 30, 2008, he stated that he had unsuccessfully attempted to
    contact Pate for two months despite leaving several messages and that Pate had moved to
    Colorado. Consequently, Minion decided to close the case “due to the lack of interest by the
    victim.” CP at 62.
    On February 29, 2009, the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office charged Tahraoui with third
    degree theft based on the incident involving Pate. On May 5, the charge was dismissed with
    prejudice. On July 11, 2011, Tahraoui filed a complaint against Brown, Wilder, and Minion
    (Officers) alleging malicious prosecution. On August 25, 2016 the Officers filed their motion for
    summary judgment on Tahraoui’s malicious prosecution claim.
    The superior court granted the Officers’ motion for summary judgment and dismissed
    Tahraoui’s claim for malicious prosecution. The court also awarded statutory attorney fees and
    costs to the Officers. Tahraoui appeals the summary judgment ruling and award of statutory
    attorney fees and costs.
    ANALYSIS
    I. SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARDS
    We review a grant of summary judgment de novo, considering all the evidence and
    reasonable inferences from the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party.
    Keck v. Collins, 
    184 Wash. 2d 358
    , 370, 
    357 P.3d 1080
    (2015). Summary judgment is only
    appropriate if no genuine issue exists as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to
    judgment as a matter of law. 
    Id. A material
    fact is a fact that affects the outcome of the
    litigation. 
    Id. at n.2.
    However, a nonmoving party cannot defeat a motion for summary
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    No. 49625-9-II
    judgment with conclusory statements of fact. Baldwin v. Silver, 
    165 Wash. App. 463
    , 471, 
    269 P.3d 284
    (2011).
    II. MALICIOUS PROSECUTION
    Tahraoui argues that the superior court erred by dismissing his claim for malicious
    prosecution because probable cause for his third degree theft prosecution did not exist as a matter
    of law with regard to any of the Officers. We disagree.
    In order to prevail on a claim for malicious prosecution, a plaintiff must show five
    elements:
    (1) the prosecution was instituted or continued by the defendant, (2) there was want
    of probable cause for the institution or continuation of the proceeding, (3) the
    proceeding was instituted or continued through malice, (4) the proceeding was
    terminated on the merits in favor of the plaintiff or was abandoned, and (5) plaintiff
    suffered injury as a result of the prosecution.
    Youker v. Douglas County, 
    162 Wash. App. 448
    , 461, 
    258 P.3d 60
    (2011) A prima facie case of
    want of probable cause is established by proof that the proceedings were dismissed in favor of
    the plaintiff. 
    Youker, 162 Wash. App. at 461
    .
    More specifically to this appeal,
    probable cause is deemed established as a matter of law with respect to a given
    defendant [in the tort claim] if it clearly appears that the defendant provided the
    prosecuting attorney with a full and fair disclosure, in good faith, of all the material
    facts known to him or her, and the prosecutor thereupon preferred a criminal charge.
    
    Youker, 162 Wash. App. at 462
    . A corollary principle is that “if any issue of fact exists as to
    whether a malicious prosecution defendant fully and truthfully communicated all the material
    facts and circumstances, then the issue of fact must be submitted to a 
    jury.” 162 Wash. App. at 463
    .
    5
    No. 49625-9-II
    As examples of these principles, Youker held that “[t]he undisputed evidence presented
    by the County establishes that Deputy White did make a full and fair disclosure, in good faith, of
    what was learned in the deputies’ investigation. Probable cause is therefore deemed established
    as a matter of 
    law.” 162 Wash. App. at 464
    . On the other hand, in Bender v. City of Seattle, the
    Supreme Court held that the defendant detective had not established probable cause as a matter
    of law because the jury had to determine whether the detective’s undisclosed information
    gathered during investigation was material to the prosecution’s determination of probable cause.
    
    99 Wash. 2d 582
    , 595-96, 
    664 P.2d 492
    (1983).
    In this case, it is undisputed that the prosecuting attorney decided to file a third degree
    theft charge against Tahraoui based on the police reports created by the Officers in this case.
    Therefore, to determine whether probable cause exists with respect to each of the Officers as a
    matter of law, we must determine whether the undisputed facts show that the Officer made a full
    and fair disclosure of all material facts known at the time.
    A.     Deputy Brown
    Tahraoui claims that Brown did not provide the prosecution with a full and fair disclosure
    of all the facts known to him at the time when he filed his report. He states that Brown could not
    have completed a good faith investigation because only five minutes elapsed from Brown
    arriving at Pate’s residence to Brown calling Tahraoui regarding a potential arrest. However,
    [t]he many Washington decisions deeming probable cause to exist in malicious
    prosecution cases have never conditioned it on the defendant’s having undertaken
    a sufficient investigation; it is consistently couched in terms of the defendant’s
    having “made . . . a full and fair disclosure, in good faith, of all the material facts
    known to him.”
    6
    No. 49625-9-II
    
    Youker, 162 Wash. App. at 464
    (alteration in original) (quoting 
    Bender, 99 Wash. 2d at 593
    ).
    Furthermore, Tahraoui has not cited to any authority suggesting that the sufficiency of an
    investigation is an element of malicious prosecution. Therefore, the amount of time Brown spent
    investigating is irrelevant to whether he made a full and fair disclosure of all material facts
    known to him at the time. Similarly, Brown’s failure to elicit Tahraoui’s version of the events or
    interview Shelly before considering a potential arrest is not relevant to whether Brown made a
    full and fair disclosure of all material facts known at the time.
    Tahraoui’s remaining assertions regarding Brown are conclusory statements that Brown
    was biased and that “Brown made a false claim,” which are insufficient to create a genuine issue
    of fact for summary judgment. Br. of Appellant at 14; 
    Baldwin, 165 Wash. App. at 471
    .
    Therefore, because Tahraoui has not provided any evidence indicating that Brown had
    knowledge of facts material to the theft investigation and failed to disclose those facts, probable
    cause exists as a matter of law with respect to Brown’s actions. For that reason, Brown is
    entitled to judgment as a matter of law.
    B.     Lieutenant Wilder
    Tahraoui claims that Wilder did not conduct an adequate investigation into the theft claim
    before attempting to arrest Tahraoui. As stated above, an assertion that law enforcement did not
    perform a thorough enough investigation is not determinative as to whether law enforcement
    made a full and fair disclosure of all material facts known at the time. 
    Youker, 162 Wash. App. at 464
    . Although Tahraoui contends that “[s]ince[] Brown’s determination was wrong and unfair;
    7
    No. 49625-9-II
    Wilder’s decision [to recommend charges] is also wrong and unfair,” Wilder’s decision to rely
    on Brown’s investigation does not suggest that Wilder failed to disclose some information
    material to the alleged theft incident. Reply Br. of Appellant at 7.
    Therefore, because Tahraoui has not provided any evidence indicating that Wilder had
    knowledge of facts material to the theft investigation and failed to disclose those facts, probable
    cause exists as a matter of law with regard to Wilder’s actions. For that reason, Wilder is entitled
    to judgment as a matter of law.
    C.     Deputy Minion
    Tahraoui contends that Minion did not make a full and fair disclosure of all material facts
    because Minion “knew or should have known that Tahraoui was innocent.” Br. of Appellant at
    17. Tahraoui also argues that Minion did not advise the prosecuting attorney of the absence of
    probable cause. However, Tahraoui does not explain why Minion knew or should have known
    that Tahraoui was innocent or why probable cause was absent, other than stating that Minion
    should have believed his version of the events.
    Therefore, because Tahraoui has not provided any evidence indicating that Minion had
    knowledge of facts material to the theft investigation and failed to disclose those facts, probable
    cause exists as a matter of law with regard to Minion’s actions. For that reason, Minion is
    entitled to judgment as a matter of law.
    III. ATTORNEY FEES AND COSTS
    Tahraoui argues that the superior court improperly awarded costs and statutory attorney
    fees, including the jury demand fee, to the Officers.
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    No. 49625-9-II
    Generally, a prevailing party may recover attorney fees authorized by statute, equitable
    principles, or agreement between the parties. Landberg v. Carlson, 
    108 Wash. App. 749
    , 758, 
    33 P.3d 406
    (2001). We review whether a statute authorizes an award of attorney fees de novo.
    Bearden v. McGill, 
    193 Wash. App. 235
    , 240, 
    372 P.3d 138
    (2016), review granted, 
    188 Wash. 2d 1015
    (2017).
    A.     Timeliness
    Tahraoui maintains that the Officers were required to raise the issue of statutory attorney
    fees and costs in their motion for summary judgment and therefore their request for fees is
    untimely. Cost bills are due 10 days after the entry of judgment, CR 54(d)(1), although the clerk
    is required to tax certain costs in the absence of a cost bill. CR 78(e). The superior court granted
    the Officers’ motion for summary judgment on September 30, 2016. On October 10, which was
    10 days after the superior court’s order on summary judgment, the Officers submitted a cost bill.
    Therefore, the Officers’ request for statutory attorney fees and costs was timely.
    B.     Statutory Authority
    Tahraoui also argues that awarding costs to the Officers for the jury demand fee exceeded
    the superior court’s authority under RCW 4.84.010(1). We agree.
    The meaning of a statute is a question of law reviewed de novo. Dep’t of Ecology v.
    Campbell & Gwinn, L.L.C., 
    146 Wash. 2d 1
    , 9, 
    43 P.3d 4
    (2002). In interpreting a statute, our
    “fundamental objective is to ascertain and carry out the Legislature’s intent, and if the statute’s
    meaning is plain on its face, then the court must give effect to that plain meaning as an
    expression of legislative intent.” Campbell & 
    Gwinn, 146 Wash. 2d at 9-10
    . In determining plain
    9
    No. 49625-9-II
    meaning, we may examine “the statute in which the provision at issue is found, as well as related
    statutes or other provisions of the same act in which the provision is found.” 
    Id. at 10.
    Former RCW 4.84.010(1) (2007) authorizes the prevailing party to recover “filing fees.”
    Under CR 38(b), at or before the time a case is called to be set for trial, a party may demand a
    trial by jury by serving and filing the demand and by paying the jury fee required by law. Under
    former RCW 36.18.016 (2006), a party requesting a 12-person jury must pay a fee of $250. In
    this case, the Officers submitted a 12-person jury demand.
    The issue presented is whether a jury demand fee is the sort of “filing fee” that may be
    recovered in civil actions as a cost under the statutes noted above. Our Supreme Court has
    explained that “[c]osts have historically been very narrowly defined, and RCW 4.84.010 limits
    cost recovery to a narrow range of expenses such as filing fees, witness fees, and service of
    process expenses.” Hume v. Am. Disposal Co., 
    124 Wash. 2d 656
    , 674, 
    880 P.2d 988
    (1994).
    Following Campbell & Gwinn, we examine related statutes in attempting to determine the plain
    meaning of “filing fees” in former RCW 4.84.010(1). A related statute, former RCW
    36.18.016(3)(a), imposes a jury demand fee in civil actions. Former RCW 36.18.016(3)(b), in
    turn, authorizes the recovery of a jury demand charge as a cost under RCW 10.46.190 upon
    conviction in criminal cases. Neither former RCW 36.18.016(3)(b) nor RCW 10.46.190 purport
    to authorize the recovery of a jury demand fee or charge in civil actions.
    Under the canon of construction, expressio unius exclusio alterius est, “‘[w]here a statute
    specifically designates the things or classes of things upon which it operates, an inference arises
    in law that all things or classes of things omitted from it were intentionally omitted by the
    legislature.’” State v. Swanson, 
    116 Wash. App. 67
    , 75, 
    65 P.3d 343
    (2003) (quoting Wash.
    10
    No. 49625-9-II
    Natural Gas Co. v. Pub. Util. Dist. No. 1, 
    77 Wash. 2d 94
    , 98, 
    459 P.2d 633
    (1969)). Under this
    canon, the express authorization of the recovery of a jury demand fee in criminal actions and the
    absence of corresponding authorization for civil actions conveys legislative intent that the jury
    demand fee in civil actions is not a “filing fee” recoverable as a cost under former RCW
    4.84.010. Therefore, consistently with Campbell & Gwinn, we hold that the plain meaning of
    former RCW 4.84.010(1) does not authorize the recovery of a jury demand fee as a cost in civil
    actions.
    CONCLUSION
    We affirm the superior court’s grant of summary judgment to the Officers. We also
    affirm the award of statutory attorney fees, but reverse the award of the jury demand fee to the
    Officers as a cost.
    A majority of the panel having determined that this opinion will not be printed in the
    Washington Appellate Reports, but will be filed for public record in accordance with RCW 2.06.040,
    it is so ordered.
    Bjorgen, C.J.
    We concur:
    Worswick, J.
    Melnick, J.
    11