In the Interest of M.I.M.

370 S.W.3d 94, 2012 WL 1863404, 2012 Tex. App. LEXIS 4102
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 23, 2012
DocketNo. 05-10-00850-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 370 S.W.3d 94 (In the Interest of M.I.M.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In the Interest of M.I.M., 370 S.W.3d 94, 2012 WL 1863404, 2012 Tex. App. LEXIS 4102 (Tex. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

OPINION

Opinion by Justice MARTIN RICHTER.

Appellant, the Office of the Attorney General of Texas, appeals a trial court order granting a plea to the jurisdiction filed by appellee, Brent Duaine Blackmore. The Office of Attorney General’s suit was filed under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act to establish child support for M.I.M. For the reasons that follow, we reverse the trial court order and remand this case for further proceedings.

Background

M.I.M. was born on January 16, 2001 to Lilia Noemi Morales (“Morales”) and Brent Duaine Blackmore (“Blackmore”). Morales and Blackmore signed an acknowledgment of paternity in August 2001. The Office of the Attorney General of Texas (“OAG”) filed suit to establish child support for M.I.M. in 2002, in the 296th District Court of Collin County, Texas. Morales and Blackmore signed temporary orders naming both as temporary joint managing conservators. After approximately six weeks of sharing custody, Morales took M.I.M. and fled to Guatemala City. Neither the OAG nor Blackmore took further action and the OAG ultimately nonsuited the case. No final custody order was entered and in 2004, the 296th District Court dismissed the case for want of prosecution.

In December 2009, the OAG filed a petition under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (“UIFSA”) to establish child support for M.I.M., this time in the 219th District Court in Collin County, Texas. Blackmore filed a “Plea to the Jurisdiction, Plea in Abatement and subject thereto Answer.” The 219th District Court granted the plea to the jurisdiction, dismissed the case, and the OAG now appeals.

The OAG raises five issues on appeal: (1) & (8) Whether the trial court had jurisdiction to establish child support for M.I.M. when a petition was filed under the UIFSA and Texas has the ability to obtain personal jurisdiction over Blackmore; (2) Whether the 296th District Court in Collin County was the court of continuing exclusive jurisdiction when the prior case in that court was dismissed for want of prosecution; (4) Whether the death of the child for whom the duty of support is owed is an affirmative defense on which the parent seeking to avoid the establishment of support bears the burden of proof; and (5) Whether section 152.208 of the Texas Family Code applies in a child support case brought under the UIFSA.

Standard of review

Whether a court has subject matter jurisdiction is a question of law that is reviewed de novo. In re S.J.A., 272 S.W.3d 678, 681-82 (Tex.App.-Dallas 2008, no pet.) (citing Powell v. Stover, 165 S.W.3d 322, 324 (Tex.2005); Seligman-[97]*97Hargis v. Hargis, 186 S.W.3d 582, 585 (Tex.App.-Dallas 2006, no pet.)). Whether the petition contains factual allegations that affirmatively demonstrate the trial court’s subject matter jurisdiction is a question of law. Texas Dep’t of Parks & Wildlife v. Miranda, 133 S.W.3d 217, 226 (Tex.2004). We liberally construe the pleadings in favor of the party invoking jurisdiction. Seligman-Hargis, 186 S.W.3d at 585; Miranda, 133 S.W.3d at 226. We must also consider relevant evidence when necessary to resolve the jurisdictional issue. In re S.J.A., 272 S.W.3d at 682.

We review the trial court’s interpretation of applicable statutes de novo. Waltenburg v. Waltenburg, 270 S.W.3d 308, 312 (Tex.App.-Dallas 2008, no pet.). In construing a statute, we are to determine and give effect to the legislature’s intent. Id. We look at the statute’s plain and common meaning and presume the legislature intended the plain meaning of its words. Nat’l Liab. and Fire Ins. Co. v. Allen, 15 S.W.3d 525 (Tex.2000).

Two uniform laws

Texas has adopted two uniform laws that govern foreign and interstate child support and custody. The standards under each act are different and they evaluate jurisdiction independently. Each act is based on a completely independent uniform law. See Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (amended 2008), 9 U.L.A. 159 (2005 & Supp.2010); Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act, 9 U.L.A. 649 (1999 & Supp.2010). The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (“UCCJEA”), codified in chapter 152 of the Family Code, governs child custody.1 The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (“UIFSA”) is codified in chapter 159 of the Family Code and it governs child support.2 A court’s jurisdiction to hear a child support issue does not confer jurisdiction upon that court to determine issues of custody or visitation. See Flores v. Melo-Palacios, 921 S.W.2d 399 (Tex.App.-Corpus Christi 1996, writ denied). The United States Supreme Court has established that the bases of jurisdiction in interstate child support cases are very different from the interstate child custody cases. Compare Kulko v. Superior Ct., 436 U.S. 84, 98 S.Ct. 1690, 56 L.Ed.2d 132 (1978) (jurisdiction2 in child support claim is based on minimum contacts of the obligor with the forum state) with May v. Anderson, 345 U.S. 528, 73 S.Ct. 840, 97 L.Ed. 1221 (1953) (jurisdiction in child custody claim is based on domicile of the child).

Jurisdiction under UIFSA

In its first and third issues, the OAG asserts the 219th District Court has jurisdiction to establish child support for M.I.M. because the OAG filed a petition under UIFSA and Texas has the ability to obtain personal jurisdiction over Black-more. We agree; a petition was filed by the OAG, pursuant to chapter 159 of the Texas Family Code, and the district court in Collin County, Texas has the ability to establish personal jurisdiction over Black-[98]*98more. See Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 159.301 (West 2008). The record shows Morales requested the OAG assist her in obtaining child support for M.I.M. Under § 159.307, the OAG is required to take action on behalf of Morales to obtain jurisdiction over Blackmore. See Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 159.307 (West 2008). Further, the code directs the filing of a petition in a tribunal that has or can obtain personal jurisdiction over the respondent. Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 159.301(c) (West 2008). It is undisputed that a district court in Collin County, Texas is the appropriate forum for obtaining personal jurisdiction over Blackmore. We sustain the OAG’s first and third issues.

Appropriate district court

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
370 S.W.3d 94, 2012 WL 1863404, 2012 Tex. App. LEXIS 4102, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-the-interest-of-mim-texapp-2012.