Windus v. Great Plains Gas

— Justiciable problems should be submitted only after careful consideration and preparation, but there must be terminal facilities for even the most intricate lawsuits. The problem before us involves the authority of the court to reinstate a case dismissed for want of prosecution under rule 215.1, Rules of Civil Procedure. To oversimplify somewhat, the question is: “Do the rules mean what they say ?” Unless we are to disregard the rules necessary for the orderly and expeditious disposition of litigation, the answer must be “yes” . Until the axe fell and the case was dismissed, no one in the…