T.L. v. W.L.

820 A.2d 506
CourtDelaware Family Court
DecidedJanuary 8, 2003
DocketNo. CS02-04026
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 820 A.2d 506 (T.L. v. W.L.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Delaware Family Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
T.L. v. W.L., 820 A.2d 506 (Del. Super. Ct. 2003).

Opinion

HENRIKSEN, J.

This is the Court’s decision on a request for a Review of Commissioner’s Order filed August 12, 2002 by T. L. (“wife”) against W. L. (“husband”). Wife is appealing a Commissioner’s Order dated August 2, 2002 in which the Commissioner dismissed wife’s petition seeking an Order of Protection From Abuse for lack of both personal jurisdiction and subject matter jurisdiction.

FACTS

Based upon a review of wife’s petition, she and husband, together with their two (2) children, W. A. L., a male minor child born September 12, 2000, and K. L., a male minor child born September 1, 2001, resided in the State of Ohio from September 2000 to July 21, 2002. On July 21, 2002, wife left the State of Ohio, taking the parties’ two (2) children with her, and wife and the two (2) children moved in with wife’s mother in Millsboro, Delaware. Two (2) days later, on July 23, 2002, wife filed in the Family Court of the State of Delaware, Sussex County, a Petition for Order of Protection From Abuse. Wife’s petition alleged that husband punched her in the arm and nose, and strangled her, all on the evening of July 15, 2002, which the Court would understand would have allegedly occurred while the parties still lived in Ohio. Wife also alleged that she called the police about this incident.1 Wife also alleged that husband already had a No Contact Order against him, but wife failed to note any of the specifics of that Order, such as when it was issued, the incidences surrounding its issuance, whether it was [508]*508an Order based on consent or after a hearing, and whether the Order was still valid and in what state.

In her petition, wife sought the following relief:

1. Prohibit husband from committing any act of abuse against wife or their minor children.
2. Order the husband to stay away from wife, her home, and her workplace.
3. Prohibit husband from contacting or attempting to contact wife in any way, except that he could talk to their son one (1) time a week.
4. Award wife custody and placement of the children.
5. Order husband to pay child support.
6. Order husband to pay $400 per month to wife.
7. Award wife the sole use of the baby crib, entertainment stand, bedroom suit, clothing, television and toys.

Husband’s attorney filed a limited Entry of Appearance for the purpose of contesting jurisdiction. Notice of the hearing was sent by the Court on July 24, 2002 to husband’s Ohio address. The registration card which accompanied the notice indicated that husband received the notice on July 26, 2002. Wife’s attorney acknowledged that service of process on the husband was not attempted under Title 10, Section 3104, the Delaware Long Arm statute.

LAW AND REASONING

I. Manner of Service

The Court will first address which type of service of process is appropriate on a non-resident upon the filing of a Protection From Abuse Petition in the State of Delaware. The more specific question is whether mailing notice to a non-resident pursuant to Title 10, Section 1065 is sufficient; or, is service of process pursuant to the more stringent requirements of Title 10, Section 3104, the Delaware long arm statute, required.

As stated by Chief Justice Layton in McCoy v. Hickman, 15 A.2d 427, 429, (Del.Super.1940), “Judicial process is indispensable to jurisdiction. The law provides two (2) methods of service of process: One is actual service, as by reading the original process to the defendant or delivering to him a copy thereof; the other is substitutional or constructive service, as by leaving a copy of the process at the defendant’s residence when he is absent, or by some form of notice by mail or publication as the statute may direct.”

In the Prybolsky decision dated April 13, 1981, a Family Court support action, the Court held that any purported service by certified mail over a non-resident was ineffective, and that, in order to acquire jurisdiction over the non-resident, it was necessary to accomplish service through Delaware’s long arm statute, Title 10, Section 3104.2

At the time of the Prybolsky decision, there was no statute which allowed for substituted service of Family Court support actions, although there was a Family Court Rule which allowed for service by certified mail with return receipt requested. The Family Court Judge correctly held that the Rule alone was not sufficient to provide a jurisdictional means of service; instead, statutory authority was required. As such, at the time of the rendering of the Prybolsky decision, the appropriate statute to obtain jurisdiction over a non-resident defendant was the Delaware long arm statute of Title 10, Section 3104.

[509]*509Shortly after Prybolsky, the Delaware legislature on July 7, 1981 added what is today’s Title 10, Section 1065 which relates to methods of acquiring personal jurisdiction over parties in Family Court matters of the State of Delaware.3 The present day Title 10, Section 1065 reads as follows:

(a) Jurisdiction shall be acquired over a party in any civil action by transmitting to the party a copy of the summons and the petition or complaint (the papers) by any of the following methods:
1. By personal service; or
2. By leaving a copy at the party’s dwelling house or usual place of abode with some person of suitable age and discretion residing there; or
S. By any form of mail; or
A In the manner prescribed by court rule; or
5. In the manner directed by the Court, including publication, if other methods of service have failed or are deemed to have been inadequate.
(b) If a party to whom papers have been transmitted by ordinary mail shall fail to appear in the action and there shall be no reliable proof that such party has received notice thereof, then the Court shall order that further effort be made to provide notice to that party which may include notice by certified or registered mail, or by any other method for providing notice specified in subsection (a) above.
(c) Jurisdiction shall be acquired over a minor by any of the above methods directed to the minor and to the minor’s parent, custodian or guardian.
(d) If, for any particular action, another statute or rule adopted pursuant to statute prescribes a method or methods for acquiring jurisdiction over a party, then jurisdiction shall be acquired thereby.
(e) It is not necessary to transmit papers or otherwise provide notice to a party who has entered an appearance in the action.

Thus, the lack of a specific statute for obtaining jurisdiction in Family Court matters which existed at the time of the Pry-bolsky

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Bluebook (online)
820 A.2d 506, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tl-v-wl-delfamct-2003.