Finnie

District No. 1—Pacific Coast District, Marine Engineers Beneficial Association and National Marine Engineers Beneficial Association (AFL-CIO) (collectively, the unions) appeal from an order granting the motion of Robert N. Finnie to vacate a judgment that had dismissed his petition for writ of mandate for failure to bring it to trial within statutory time limits. The principal issue is whether the granting of a motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction is a “trial” within the meaning of Code of Civil Procedure section 583.320, subdivision (a)(3), which requires that an action be brought to trial within three years after a remittitur is filed following reversal of a judgment on appeal and remand for a new trial. We hold that a dismissal for lack of subject matter jurisdiction is a “trial” within the meaning of this statute. Since the trial court reached this same conclusion, we affirm the order vacating the judgment of dismissal.

Procedural Background

Finnie, a marine engineer, was expelled from the unions in 1979 because he failed to follow the unions’ directive and proceeded to work on board a ship at a time when the unions were involved in a dispute…