In re S.J.M.

453 S.W.3d 340, 2015 Mo. App. LEXIS 44, 2015 WL 294385
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 20, 2015
DocketNo. ED 101082
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 453 S.W.3d 340 (In re S.J.M.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re S.J.M., 453 S.W.3d 340, 2015 Mo. App. LEXIS 44, 2015 WL 294385 (Mo. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinions

Angela T. Quigless, C.J.

I.INTRODUCTION.

Nicholas Malawey (father) appeals the judgment of the Circuit Court of St. Charles County granting mother Margaret Kosowski’s petition for appointment of guardianship of their son, S.M. In his sole point on appeal, father contends the probate court erred in entering the guardianship order when another circuit court had already exercised its authority to enter a judgment regarding the same issues and parties in a divorce proceeding. Father argues the guardianship order resulted in wasteful or inconsistent judgments. We reverse and remand for further proceedings.

II.FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Mother and father’s marriage was dissolved in August of 2007. During their marriage, they had a son, S.M., who was born with Down Syndrome. In its judgment of dissolution, the Circuit Court of St. Louis County granted mother and father joint legal custody of their son.

S.M. turned eighteen on February 7, 2018. On that same day, mother and stepfather, Karson Kosowski, filed a petition for appointment of guardian and conservator to obtain letters of guardianship for S.M. in the Probate Division of St. Charles County. Father filed a motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. After hearing argument, the court denied the motion. Father filed a cross-petition for appointment of guardian and conservator.

On February 3, 2014, a bench trial was held at which all parties stipulated S.M. had a disability under the Probate Code and a need existed for guardianship. At the commencement of trial, father again raised the court’s lack of subject matter jurisdiction and the court heard argument. Father alleged the parenting plan in the St. Louis County dissolution remained in full force and effect and, therefore, the entry of a judgment by the probate court could create conflicting orders. The court overruled the motion.

At the hearing, neither party produced a copy of the divorce decree to the court. However, details of the custody arrangement were outlined and uncontested: mother and father had joint legal custody; no ■ modifications had been made to the custody portion of the decree; S.M. lived with his mother on weekdays and every other weekend; and, S.M. stayed with father on Wednesday evenings, every other weekend and for six weeks during the summer. Both parents made decisions for S.M.’s care. In addition, at the time of the hearing, although S-M. turned eighteen, he was currently in high school.

The court entered a judgment and order declaring S.M. a disabled and incapacitated person and appointed mother as S.M.’s guardian. The court denied step-father’s petition and father’s cross-petition for guardianship. It found there was no need for letters of conservatorship at that time. This appeal by father followed.

III.STANDARD OF REVIEW

“In a court-tried case, we will affirm the judgment below if it is supported by substantial evidence, is not against the weight of the evidence, and does not erroneously declare or apply the law.” Reppy v. Winters, 351 S.W.3d 717, 720 (Mo.App.W.D. 2011) (citing Murphy v. Carron, 536 S.W.2d 30, 32 (Mo. banc 1976)). We view [343]*343the evidence in the light most favorable to the trial court’s judgment, disregarding all contrary inferences and evidence. Woods ex rel. Woods v. Cory, 192 S.W.3d 450, 458 (Mo.App.S.D.2006). Although we give deference to the probate court’s factual determinations, our review of any error in applying the law is de novo. In the matter of J.L.B, 280 S.W.Sd 147, 152 (Mo.App.S.D.2009).

IV. DISCUSSION

In his sole point of error, father argues the probate court lacked “jurisdiction” because it erred in entering a guardianship order when the Circuit Court of St. Louis County had already exercised its authority to enter a judgment regarding the same issues and parties in a divorce proceeding. Specifically, he alleges the probate court entered an order which was inconsistent with the dissolution judgment in St. Louis County. We find the probate court had jurisdiction, but legally erred in entering a judgment conflicting with the dissolution judgment that was still in effect.

As a threshold matter, we will address father’s allegation that the court “lackfed] jurisdiction” and should have refused to act on the Petition for Guardianship.

The Supreme Court has clarified that “Missouri courts recognize two kinds of jurisdiction: subject matter jurisdiction and personal jurisdiction.” J.C.W. ex rel. Webb v. Wyciskalla, 275 S.W.3d 249, 252 (Mo. banc 2009). “[Pjersonal jurisdiction refers quite simply to the power of a court to require a person to respond to a legal proceeding that may affect the person’s rights or interests.” Id. at 253. Here, personal jurisdiction is proper as it is undisputed that all parties to this action are Missouri residents and appeared voluntarily before the court. See id. (“Even before [Pennoyer v. Neff, 95 U.S. 714, 24 L.Ed. 565 (1877) ], the power of the state courts to exercise jurisdiction over persons within the state ... was unquestioned.”).

“Subject matter jurisdiction, in contrast to personal jurisdiction, is not a matter of a state court’s power over a person, but the court’s authority to render a judgment in a particular category of case.” Id. at 253. “[T]he subject matter jurisdiction of Missouri’s courts is governed directly by the state’s constitution.” Id. The Missouri Constitution specifically recognizes an associate circuit judge’s jurisdiction to hear probate matters. Section 17, Article V, Missouri Constitution. “The probate division of the circuit court may hear and determine all matters pertaining to probate business, [including] ... the appointment of guardians and conservators of minors and incapacitated, and disabled persons_” Mo.Rev.Stat. § 472.020.1 The probate division has exclusive jurisdiction to hear guardianship cases. McCoy v. Rivera, 926 S.W.2d 78, 81 n. 2 (Mo.App.W.D.1996).

We find father’s argument that the probate court lacked “jurisdiction” and should have “refused to act” without merit. Here, the probate court has personal and subject matter jurisdiction to appoint a guardian for a disabled person over the age of 18. Nevertheless, as father contends, the issue is whether the court legally erred as its order produced an inconsistent judgment. Father maintains the dissolution judgment of the St. Louis County Circuit Court was still in effect for child custody purposes and claims the probate court’s order granting mother sole guardianship conflicted with the previous judgment granting parents joint legal custody.

[344]*344“Many types of cases may present issues where more than one court properly has subject matter jurisdiction over the same matter or issue.” Kelly v. Kelly, 245 S.W.3d 308, 312-13 (Mo.App.W.D.2008). “One of the most common is the area of child custody.” Id. at 313.

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Bluebook (online)
453 S.W.3d 340, 2015 Mo. App. LEXIS 44, 2015 WL 294385, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-sjm-moctapp-2015.