Ralph v. Weyerhaeuser Co.

¶1 These consolidated cases all arise from a 2007 flood of the Chehalis River in Lewis County. This is the second time we have considered questions relating to the appropriate forum. In our first review, we considered the trial court’s orders dismissing the cases for lack of subject matter jurisdiction pursuant to RCW 4.12.010(1). Ralph v. Dep’t of Nat. Res., 182 Wn.2d 242, 245-46, 343 P.3d 342 (2014) (Ralph I). A majority of this court held that “RCW 4.12.010 relates to venue, not jurisdiction,” and therefore “reverse [d] and remand [ed] for further proceedings.” Id. at 246. On remand, the…