SCURRIA v. Griggs

917 So. 2d 1215, 2005 WL 3481463
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 21, 2005
Docket40,327-CW
StatusPublished

This text of 917 So. 2d 1215 (SCURRIA v. Griggs) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
SCURRIA v. Griggs, 917 So. 2d 1215, 2005 WL 3481463 (La. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

917 So.2d 1215 (2005)

Kelley Dandridge SCURRIA, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
Timothy Darren GRIGGS, Defendant-Appellee.

No. 40,327-CW.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Second Circuit.

December 21, 2005.

*1216 Fewell-Kitchens by Richard L. Fewell, Jr., for Appellant.

Robert C. Johnson, Monroe, for Appellee.

Before WILLIAMS, CARAWAY and LOLLEY, JJ.

LOLLEY, J.

This matter comes before this court on the application of Kelly Scurria, seeking review of a judgment from the Sixth Judicial District Court, Parish of Tensas, State of Louisiana. The trial court granted Timothy Darren Griggs' declinatory exception of venue and transferred the matter to the Fourth Judicial District Court of Ouachita *1217 Parish. For the following reasons, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed in part and reversed in part.

FACTS

Scurria and Griggs are the biological parents of the minor child and both resided in Ouachita Parish at one time. During the course of proceedings to establish child support, Scurria relocated with her husband (not Griggs) to various military bases in connection with his service in the United States Army. In July 2001, Scurria and her husband moved to Fort Benning, Georgia where he was last stationed before being deployed to Iraq.

In May of 2003, the Fourth Judicial District Court in Ouachita Parish awarded Scurria child support in the amount of $237.10 per month against Griggs. Scurria moved to St. Joseph, Louisiana in Tensas Parish in December 2004 to live close to her family while her husband was away.

The record shows that in March 2005, Scurria filed a rule for contempt in the Sixth Judicial District Court, Tensas Parish, alleging that in December 2004, Griggs was cast for past-due child support in the amount of $4,504.90, but had failed to comply with the orders of the court in paying child support and allegedly was approximately $5,216.20 in arrears. Scurria sought a court order directing Griggs to show cause why he should not be held in contempt and why she should not be awarded an executory judgment for all child support arrears, and why Griggs should not be ordered to pay reasonable attorney fees and cost of proceedings.

Griggs filed a declinatory exception of venue contending that venue was not proper in Tensas Parish. A hearing on the exception was held and following oral arguments, the district court gave his reasons for judgment. The trial court noted that while arguments had been made concerning whether or not the child support judgment for arrearages had been properly registered in the Sixth Judicial District Court pursuant to the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, the trial court was not going to resolve that issue. Instead, the trial court stated that although it had tried to "figure out every way that I can to hear this case in this court," the trial court was convinced that venue was not proper in Tensas Parish.

The trial court began its legal analysis of the venue issue by noting that under the general venue provisions of La. C.C.P. art. 42, an action against an individual who is domiciled in the state shall be brought in the parish of his domicile. Thus, under the general rule, venue was proper in Ouachita Parish where Griggs was domiciled. Regarding exceptions to the general rule, the trial court referred to La. C.C.P. art. 74.2 that sets forth venue for custody, child support proceedings and forum non conveniens. The trial court noted in his oral reasons for judgment that a proceeding for modification of support could be brought in the parish where the obligee was domiciled, which the trial court opined would be Tensas; however, the trial court recognized that this was not a proceeding to modify support, but instead one to enforce support. Thus, it found this instant proceeding to enforce a support order did not fall under any of the provisions of that article. Hence, the trial court granted the exception of venue and ordered that the action be transferred to Ouachita Parish. Subsequent to this, a stay order was requested by Scurria and granted, and a judgment was signed and filed on May 31, 2004. Scurria applied for supervisory writs, which were granted by this court.

DISCUSSION

The primary issue presented for our review is whether the trial court committed *1218 error in concluding that the proper venue for enforcement of child support awards and arrearages to which Scurria was and is entitled was the Fourth Judicial District Court in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.

The trial court correctly noted that under the general rules of venue an action against an individual domiciled in this state shall be brought in the parish of his domicile. See La. C.C.P. art. 42(1). However, under the provisions of La. C.C.P. art. 43, the general rules of venue are subject to the exceptions provided in La. C.C.P. arts. 71-85, and as otherwise provided by law. Included within these exceptions are the provisions of article 74.2 which states:

A. A proceeding to obtain the legal custody of a minor or to establish an obligation of support may be brought in the parish where a party is domiciled or in the parish of the last matrimonial domicile.
B. A proceeding for change of custody may be brought in the parish where the person awarded custody is domiciled or in the parish where the custody decree was rendered. If the person awarded custody is no longer domiciled in the state, the proceeding for change of custody may be brought in the parish where the person seeking a change of custody is domiciled or in the parish where the custody decree was rendered.
C. A proceeding for modification of support may be brought in any of the following:
(1) The parish where the person awarded support is domiciled.
(2) The parish where the support award was rendered if it has not been registered and confirmed in another court of this state, pursuant to the provisions of Article 2785 et seq.
(3) The parish where the support award was last registered if registered in multiple courts of this state.
(4) Any of the following, if the person awarded support is no longer domiciled in the state:
(a) The parish where the other person is domiciled.
(b) The parish where the support award was rendered if not confirmed in another court of this state pursuant to Article 2785 et seq.
(c) The parish where the support order was last confirmed pursuant to the provisions of Article 2785 et seq.
D. A proceeding to register a child support, medical support, and income assignment order, or any such order issued by a court of this state for modification, may be brought in the parish where the person awarded support is domiciled.
E. For the convenience of the parties and the witnesses and in the interest of justice, a court, upon contradictory motion or upon its own motion after notice and hearing, may transfer the custody or support proceeding to another court where the proceeding might have been brought.

The above-quoted provisions make reference to La. C.C.P. art. 2785 et seq. Those articles concern intrastate registration of support orders for modification and enforcement. As stated in La. C.C.P. art. 2785(4), the term "support order" means:

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Bluebook (online)
917 So. 2d 1215, 2005 WL 3481463, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/scurria-v-griggs-lactapp-2005.