Title: Scott McDermott v. Gary Tabb

State: alabama

Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court

Document:

REL: 8/21/2009 
Notice: T h i s 
o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e 
advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229¬
0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any 
t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may 
be 
made b e f o r e 
t h e o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
SPECIAL TERM, 2009 
1071536 
S c o t t McDermott 
v. 
Gary Tabb 
Appeal from Madison C i r c u i t 
Court 
(CV-07-706) 
STUART, 
J u s t i c e . 
S c o t t M c D e r m o t t a p p e a l s an o r d e r o f t h e 
M a d i s o n 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t d e n y i n g h i s m o t i o n made p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 6 0 ( b ) ( 4 ) , A l a . 
R. C i v . 
P., t o 
s e t 
a s i d e t h e d e f a u l t j u d g m e n t e n t e r e d i n f a v o r 
1071536 
o f 
G a r y 
Tabb 
i n Tabb's 
b r e a c h - o f - c o n t r a c t 
a c t i o n 
a g a i n s t 
M c D e r m o t t . 
We r e v e r s e a n d remand. 
I . 
On 
A p r i l 
24 
, 2007, 
Tabb 
i n s t i t u t e d 
an a c t i o n i n t h e 
M a d i s o n C i r c u i t C o u r t a g a i n s t " S c o t t M c D e r m o t t d/b/a C o l d w e l l 
B a n k e r 
P r e m i e r , " 
a l l e g i n g , 
e s s e n t i a l l y , 
t h a t M c D e r m o t t h a d 
b r e a c h e d a r e a l - e s t a t e c o n t r a c t he h a d e n t e r e d 
i n t o w i t h Tabb 
t o p u r c h a s e a h o u s e Tabb owned i n M a d i s o n . 
The a c t i o n 
l i s t e d 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g two a d d r e s s e s f o r 
t h e d e f e n d a n t , a n d a summons 
and a c o p y o f t h e c o m p l a i n t 
were s e n t t o b o t h a d d r e s s e s v i a 
c e r t i f i e d 
m a i l : 
1. 
S c o t t M c D e r m o t t 
c/o C o l d w e l l B a n k e r P r e m i e r 
4092 S o u t h M e m o r i a l P a r k w a y 
H u n t s v i l l e , A l a b a m a 35802 
2. 
C o l d w e l l B a n k e r R e a l E s t a t e 
C o r p o r a t i o n 
1 Campus D r i v e 
P a r s i p p a n y , New J e r s e y 
07054-4407 
The c e r t i f i e d - m a i l 
r e t u r n r e c e i p t s i n d i c a t e t h a t t h e summons 
and t h e c o m p l a i n t w e r e d e l i v e r e d t o t h e H u n t s v i l l e a d d r e s s on 
A p r i l 30, 2007, a n d t o t h e P a r s i p p a n y , New J e r s e y , a d d r e s s on 
May 15, 2007. 
The r e t u r n r e c e i p t f o r 
t h e c e r t i f i e d m a i l 
s e n t 
t o t h e H u n t s v i l l e a d d r e s s i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e summons a n d 
t h e 
c o m p l a i n t 
w e r e s i g n e d f o r 
b y " J . T i b b s " ; i t i s i m p o s s i b l e t o 
2 
1071536 
d i s c e r n 
i f t h e r e 
i s any 
s i g n a t u r e 
on 
t h e 
r e t u r n r e c e i p t f o r 
t h e m a i l s e n t t o t h e New 
J e r s e y a d d r e s s b e c a u s e o f t h e 
q u a l i t y 
o f t h e c o p y i n c l u d e d i n t h e 
r e c o r d .
1 
On 
J u n e 
15, 
2007, Tabb moved 
f o r 
a 
d e f a u l t 
j u d g m e n t , 
a r g u i n g 
t h a t M c D e r m o t t had 
b e e n 
s e r v e d 
on 
A p r i l 
30 
b u t 
had 
f a i l e d t o a n s w e r t h e c o m p l a i n t 
o r o t h e r w i s e 
t o d e f e n d 
h i m s e l f 
w i t h i n 
t h e 
s u c c e e d i n g 
3 0 - d a y p e r i o d . 
Tabb a c c o m p a n i e d 
h i s 
m o t i o n f o r a d e f a u l t j u d g m e n t w i t h an a f f i d a v i t d e s c r i b i n g h i s 
damage and 
s e e k i n g 
a t o t a l 
o f $ 1 8 4 , 6 1 5 i n c o m p e n s a t i o n . 
On 
J u n e 
20, 
2007, 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
g r a n t e d 
Tabb's 
m o t i o n 
and 
e n t e r e d 
a j u d g m e n t 
i n h i s 
f a v o r 
and 
a g a i n s t M c D e r m o t t 
f o r 
$ 1 8 4 , 6 1 5 . 
On 
O c t o b e r 
9, 
2007, M c D e r m o t t moved 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t , 
p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 6 0 ( b ) , A l a . R. C i v . P., 
t o v a c a t e 
t h e d e f a u l t 
j u d g m e n t e n t e r e d 
a g a i n s t 
h i m . 
He 
a l l e g e d t h a t 
t h e 
j u d g m e n t 
was 
v o i d 
b e c a u s e , 
he 
s a i d , 
Tabb 
f a i l e d 
t o 
e f f e c t 
p r o p e r 
1 T a b b has 
n o t a r g u e d t o t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t o r t o 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
t h a t t h e summons and t h e c o m p l a i n t 
d e l i v e r e d t o t h e New 
J e r s e y 
a d d r e s s o f C o l d w e l l B a n k e r R e a l E s t a t e C o r p o r a t i o n 
on May 
15 
c o n s t i t u t e d 
p r o p e r 
s e r v i c e upon M c D e r m o t t ; r a t h e r , 
he 
has 
f o c u s e d 
h i s 
a r g u m e n t 
on 
t h e 
A p r i l 
30 
d e l i v e r y 
t o 
t h e 
H u n t s v i l l e 
a d d r e s s . 
N e v e r t h e l e s s , 
M c D e r m o t t 
has 
s u b m i t t e d 
e v i d e n c e 
i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
r e g i s t e r e d a g e n t 
o f 
C o l d w e l l 
B a n k e r R e a l E s t a t e C o r p o r a t i o n , l o c a t e d i n D e l a w a r e , has 
n e v e r 
b e e n 
s e r v e d . 
3 
1071536 
s e r v i c e upon him. 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , M c D e r m o t t a l l e g e d t h a t e v e n 
t h o u g h 
one 
" J . T i b b s " 
had 
s i g n e d 
a 
r e c e i p t 
a c k n o w l e d g i n g 
r e c e i p t 
o f t h e summons and 
c o m p l a i n t 
s e n t 
t o t h e 
H u n t s v i l l e 
a d d r e s s , J . T i b b s was 
n o t a u t h o r i z e d 
t o a c c e p t s e r v i c e on 
h i s 
b e h a l f 
and 
M c D e r m o t t 
had, 
i n 
f a c t , 
n e v e r 
r e c e i v e d 
t h e 
d o c u m e n t s .
2 
M o r e o v e r , M c D e r m o t t a l l e g e d t h a t 
he 
d i d n o t 
do 
b u s i n e s s 
as C o l d w e l l B a n k e r P r e m i e r -- r a t h e r , C o l d w e l l B a n k e r 
R e a l 
E s t a t e 
C o r p o r a t i o n 
d i d 
b u s i n e s s 
as 
C o l d w e l l 
B a n k e r 
P r e m i e r 
-- 
and 
t h a t 
he 
had 
n o t 
a u t h o r i z e d 
C o l d w e l l 
B a n k e r 
P r e m i e r t o a c c e p t s e r v i c e on h i s b e h a l f . 
F i n a l l y , 
M c D e r m o t t 
a r g u e d t h a t he had n e v e r e n t e r e d 
i n t o any r e a l - e s t a t e c o n t r a c t 
w i t h Tabb and 
t h a t 
t h e 
c o n t r a c t p r o d u c e d by Tabb l a c k e d 
h i s 
s i g n a t u r e . 
Tabb f i l e d a w r i t t e n r e s p o n s e w i t h t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
o p p o s i n g M c D e r m o t t ' s R u l e 60(b) 
m o t i o n , and, 
on J u l y 17, 2008, 
a f t e r h o l d i n g 
a h e a r i n g 
on 
t h e 
i s s u e , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d e n i e d 
M c D e r m o t t ' s m o t i o n w i t h o u t 
s t a t i n g i t s r a t i o n a l e . 
On 
A u g u s t 
5, 2008, M c D e r m o t t 
f i l e d 
t h e 
i n s t a n t 
a p p e a l . 
2 T h e r e i s no e v i d e n c e i n t h e r e c o r d i d e n t i f y i n g " J . T i b b s " 
o r e x p l a i n i n g h i s o r h e r r e l a t i o n s h i p t o M c D e r m o t t o r 
C o l d w e l l 
B a n k e r 
P r e m i e r . 
4 
1071536 
I I . 
On a p p e a l , M c D e r m o t t 
r e p e a t s t h e a r g u m e n t made i n h i s 
R u l e 6 0 ( b ) m o t i o n : 
The d e f a u l t j u d g m e n t e n t e r e d a g a i n s t h i m 
was 
v o i d 
b e c a u s e , 
he 
s a y s , 
Tabb 
f a i l e d 
t o e f f e c t 
p r o p e r 
s e r v i c e upon h i m . 
I n N o r t h b r o o k 
I n d e m n i t y Co. v. 
W e s t g a t e , 
L t d . , 
769 So. 2d 890, 893 ( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) , 
t h i s 
C o u r t e x p l a i n e d 
t h e s t a n d a r d o f r e v i e w a p p l i c a b l e t o s u c h a c l a i m : 
" T h i s 
C o u r t 
h a s 
h e l d 
t h a t 
' [ t ] h e 
r e v i e w 
a p p l i c a b l e t o a R u l e 
6 0 ( b ) ( 4 ) 
m o t i o n i s de n o v o . ' 
G r e e n e v . C o n n e l l y , 628 So. 2d 346, 351 ( A l a . 1 9 9 3 ) ; 
a c c o r d 
I n s u r a n c e 
Management 
& 
A d m i n . , 
I n c . v .  
P a l o m a r 
I n s . C o r p . , 590 So. 2d 2 0 9 , 212 ( A l a . 1 9 9 1 ) . 
"'When t h e g r a n t o r d e n i a l o f r e l i e f t u r n s 
on t h e v a l i d i t y o f t h e j u d g m e n t , as u n d e r 
R u l e 6 0 ( b ) ( 4 ) , d i s c r e t i o n h a s no p l a c e . I f 
t h e j u d g m e n t i s 
v a l i d , i t must s t a n d ; i f i t 
i s v o i d , i t must be s e t a s i d e . 
A j u d g m e n t 
i s 
v o i d 
o n l y i f t h e c o u r t 
r e n d e r i n g i t 
l a c k e d 
j u r i s d i c t i o n o f t h e s u b j e c t m a t t e r 
o r 
o f t h e p a r t i e s , 
o r i f i t a c t e d i n a 
manner i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h due p r o c e s s . ' 
" P a l o m a r 
I n s . , 
590 So. 2d a t 212. 
' F a i l u r e o f 
p r o p e r 
s e r v i c e 
u n d e r 
R u l e 
4 [ , A l a . 
R. C i v . P.,] 
d e p r i v e s a c o u r t o f j u r i s d i c t i o n 
a n d r e n d e r s i t s 
j u d g m e n t 
v o i d . ' 
Ex p a r t e 
P a t e , 673 So. 2d 427 
, 
428-29 
( A l a . 1 9 9 5 ) . " 
T h i s C o u r t h a s a l s o s t a t e d t h a t " [ w ] h e n t h e s e r v i c e o f p r o c e s s 
on t h e d e f e n d a n t i s c o n t e s t e d as b e i n g i m p r o p e r o r 
i n v a l i d , 
t h e b u r d e n o f p r o o f i s 
on t h e p l a i n t i f f t o p r o v e t h a t 
s e r v i c e 
5 
1071536 
o f p r o c e s s was p e r f o r m e d 
c o r r e c t l y a n d l e g a l l y . " 
Ex 
p a r t e  
V o l k s w a g e n w e r k A k t i e n g e s e l l s c h a f t , 443 So. 2d 880, 884 ( A l a . 
1 9 8 3 ) . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , we r e v i e w de novo t h e f a c t s t o d e t e r m i n e 
w h e t h e r 
Tabb h a s e s t a b l i s h e d 
t h a t 
M c D e r m o t t was 
p r o p e r l y 
s e r v e d 
so as t o v e s t 
t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
w i t h 
t h e n e c e s s a r y 
j u r i s d i c t i o n t o e n a b l e i t t o e n t e r a d e f a u l t j u d g m e n t 
a g a i n s t 
M c D e r m o t t . 
I I I . 
R u l e 4 ( c ) ( 1 ) , A l a . R. C i v . 
P., p r o v i d e s 
t h a t 
s e r v i c e o f 
p r o c e s s 
upon 
an 
i n d i v i d u a l , 
o t h e r 
t h a n 
a 
m i n o r 
o r an 
i n c o m p e t e n t p e r s o n , 
s h a l l be made i n t h e f o l l o w i n g manner: 
" [ B ] y 
s e r v i n g t h e i n d i v i d u a l o r by l e a v i n g a c o p y o f 
t h e summons a n d t h e c o m p l a i n t a t t h e i n d i v i d u a l ' s 
d w e l l i n g 
h o u s e o r u s u a l 
p l a c e 
o f abode 
w i t h some 
p e r s o n o f s u i t a b l e age a n d d i s c r e t i o n t h e n r e s i d i n g 
t h e r e i n o r by d e l i v e r i n g a c o p y o f t h e summons a n d 
t h e c o m p l a i n t t o an a g e n t a u t h o r i z e d by a p p o i n t m e n t 
o r by l a w t o r e c e i v e 
s e r v i c e o f p r o c e s s 
" 
Tabb d o e s n o t a r g u e -- a n d t h e r e i s 
no e v i d e n c e i n 
t h e r e c o r d 
i n d i c a t i n g -- t h a t M c D e r m o t t was e v e r 
p e r s o n a l l y 
s e r v e d o r 
t h a t p r o c e s s was e v e r 
l e f t a t h i s " d w e l l i n g h o u s e o r 
u s u a l 
p l a c e 
o f a b o d e . " 
R a t h e r , 
Tabb 
a r g u e s 
t h a t 
M c D e r m o t t was 
s e r v e d 
by c e r t i f i e d 
m a i l as a u t h o r i z e d by R u l e 4 ( i ) ( 2 ) ( C ) , 
6 
1071536 
A l a . 
R. 
C i v . P., 
w h i c h 
p r o v i d e s , 
i n p e r t i n e n t 
p a r t , 
as 
f o l l o w s : 
" S e r v i c e by c e r t i f i e d m a i l 
s h a l l be deemed 
c o m p l e t e 
and t h e t i m e f o r a n s w e r i n g 
s h a l l r u n f r o m t h e d a t e 
o f 
d e l i v e r y 
t o 
t h e 
named 
a d d r e s s e e 
o r 
t h e 
a d d r e s s e e ' s 
a g e n t as e v i d e n c e d b y s i g n a t u r e 
on t h e 
r e t u r n 
r e c e i p t . 
W i t h i n 
t h e 
m e a n i n g 
o f 
t h i s 
s u b d i v i s i o n , 
' a g e n t ' 
means 
a 
p e r s o n 
o r 
e n t i t y 
s p e c i f i c a l l y a u t h o r i z e d by t h e a d d r e s s e e t o r e c e i v e 
t h e a d d r e s s e e ' s m a i l and t o d e l i v e r t h a t m a i l t o t h e 
a d d r e s s e e . 
S u c h 
a g e n t ' s 
a u t h o r i t y 
s h a l l 
be 
c o n c l u s i v e l y 
e s t a b l i s h e d 
when 
t h e 
a d d r e s s e e 
a c k n o w l e d g e s 
a c t u a l 
r e c e i p t 
o f 
t h e summons 
and 
c o m p l a i n t o r t h e c o u r t d e t e r m i n e s t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e 
p r o v e s 
t h e 
a d d r e s s e e 
d i d 
a c t u a l l y 
r e c e i v e 
t h e 
summons and c o m p l a i n t i n t i m e t o a v o i d a d e f a u l t . " 
B e c a u s e t h e c e r t i f i e d - m a i l r e c e i p t i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e r e c e i p t 
f o r 
t h e summons and t h e c o m p l a i n t 
s e n t t o t h e 
H u n t s v i l l e 
a d d r e s s was s i g n e d b y J . T i b b s -- n o t b y M c D e r m o t t -- Tabb i s 
t h e r e f o r e 
i m p l i c i t l y 
a r g u i n g 
t h a t 
J . T i b b s 
i s M c D e r m o t t ' s 
a g e n t , 
t h a t i s , t h a t J . T i b b s was a u t h o r i z e d by M c D e r m o t t t o 
r e c e i v e M c D e r m o t t ' s m a i l and t o d e l i v e r i t t o h i m . 
However, 
Tabb has s u b m i t t e d no e v i d e n c e i n s u p p o r t o f s u c h a 
f a c t . 
I n s t e a d , Tabb a r g u e s t h a t t h e c e r t i f i e d - m a i l r e c e i p t t h a t was 
r e t u r n e d 
t o t h e c l e r k ' s o f f i c e i s i t s e l f e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t M c D e r m o t t was p r o p e r l y 
s e r v e d and o p e r a t e s t o s h i f t t h e 
b u r d e n t o M c D e r m o t t t o r e f u t e 
t h a t 
p r e s u m p t i o n 
o f 
s e r v i c e . 
Tabb 
c i t e s 
I n s u r a n c e Management 
& A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , 
I n c . v . 
7 
1071536 
P a l o m a r 
I n s u r a n c e C o r p . , 
590 
So. 2d 209, 
213 
( A l a . 1 9 9 1 ) , i n 
s u p p o r t o f h i s a r g u m e n t ; h o w e v e r , he has 
m i s i n t e r p r e t e d 
o u r 
h o l d i n g 
i n t h a t c a s e . 
I n T r u s s v. C h a p p e l l , 
4 So. 
3d 
1110, 
1112 
n. 
4 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 8 ) , 
we 
s p e c i f i c a l l y 
n o t e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f P a l o m a r 
I n s u r a n c e now 
a d v a n c e d 
by Tabb 
was 
e r r o n e o u s , 
s t a t i n g : 
" I n I n s u r a n c e Management & A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , 
I n c .  
v. 
P a l o m a r 
I n s u r a n c e 
C o r p . , 
590 
So. 
2d 
209, 
213 
( A l a . 
1 9 9 1 ) , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
h e l d 
t h a t 
t h e 
c l e r k ' s 
n o t a t i o n o f p r o p e r s e r v i c e c r e a t e s 
a p r e s u m p t i o n 
o f 
p r o p e r 
s e r v i c e 
t h a t c a n be 
r e b u t t e d 
o n l y by 
' c l e a r 
and 
c o n v i n c i n g 
e v i d e n c e . ' 
I n N o r t h b r o o k 
I n d e m n i t y 
 
Co. 
v. 
W e s t g a t e , 
L t d . , 769 
So. 
2d 
8 
90 
, 8 
93 
n. 
4 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 0 ) , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
s t a t e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
P a l o m a r 
 
I n s u r a n c e 
p r e s u m p t i o n 
e s t a b l i s h e d 
o n l y 
t h a t 
t h e 
' c l e r k m a i l e d t h e p r o c e s s and t h e p e r s o n s i g n i n g t h e 
c e r t i f i e d - m a i l 
r e c e i p t 
r e c e i v e d 
t h e 
p r o c e s s . ' 
P a l o m a r 
I n s u r a n c e d i d n o t e s t a b l i s h a p r e s u m p t i o n 
as  
t o 
w h e t h e r 
t h e 
p e r s o n 
s i g n i n g 
t h e 
r e c e i p t 
was 
a 
 
p r o p e r 
p e r s o n 
t o 
r e c e i v e 
p r o c e s s 
o r 
w h e t h e r 
t h e 
p l a c e o f s e r v i c e was t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s 
' d w e l l i n g h o u s e 
o r u s u a l 
p l a c e 
o f a b o d e . ' " 
( E m p h a s i s 
added.) 
Thus, t h e c e r t i f i e d - m a i l 
r e c e i p t t h a t 
has 
b e e n s u b m i t t e d as e v i d e n c e 
i n t h i s 
c a s e does n o t , 
i n 
f a c t , 
e s t a b l i s h 
t h a t 
M c D e r m o t t 
was 
p r o p e r l y 
s e r v e d ; 
r a t h e r , 
i t 
m e r e l y 
e s t a b l i s h e s 
t h a t 
t h e summons and 
t h e 
c o m p l a i n t were 
m a i l e d t o t h e H u n t s v i l l e a d d r e s s and 
s i g n e d 
f o r by J . 
T i b b s . 
B e c a u s e M c D e r m o t t has 
a l l e g e d 
t h a t 
he was 
n o t 
p r o p e r l y 
s e r v e d , 
i t was 
Tabb's 
b u r d e n 
t o show 
t h a t 
t h e 
s e r v i c e 
o f 
8 
1071536 
p r o c e s s 
was 
p e r f o r m e d 
c o r r e c t l y and 
l e g a l l y . 
Ex 
p a r t e 
 
V o l k s w a g e n w e r k A k t i e n g e s e l l s c h a f t , 443 So. 2d a t 884. 
Tabb 
a r g u e s 
t h a t he p r o p e r l y 
s e r v e d 
M c D e r m o t t by 
c e r t i f i e d 
m a i l 
p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 4 ( i ) ( 2 ) ( C ) , A l a . 
R. C i v . P.; h o w e v e r , b e c a u s e 
t h e r e i s no e v i d e n c e i n t h e r e c o r d e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e 
i d e n t i t y 
o f 
J . T i b b s 
o r i n d i c a t i n g t h a t 
he o r she was 
an a g e n t o f 
M c D e r m o t t 
w i t h i n t h e m e a n i n g 
o f R u l e 
4 ( i ) ( 2 ) ( C ) , 
Tabb 
has 
f a i l e d 
t o meet h i s b u r d e n . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , 
M c D e r m o t t ' s 
R u l e 
60(b) 
m o t i o n t o v a c a t e t h e d e f a u l t j u d g m e n t e n t e r e d 
a g a i n s t 
h i m 
s h o u l d have b e e n 
g r a n t e d . 
I V . 
Tabb 
s u e d M c D e r m o t t 
a l l e g i n g b r e a c h 
o f 
c o n t r a c t 
and 
o b t a i n e d 
a d e f a u l t j u d g m e n t i n t h e amount o f $184,615 
a f t e r 
M c D e r m o t t 
f a i l e d 
t o 
f i l e 
a 
r e s p o n s e 
t o 
h i s 
c o m p l a i n t . 
M c D e r m o t t s u b s e q u e n t l y moved t o v a c a t e t h a t d e f a u l t j u d g m e n t , 
a r g u i n g 
t h a t he h a d n o t b e e n p r o p e r l y s e r v e d . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d e n i e d 
t h a t 
m o t i o n ; 
h o w e v e r , b e c a u s e M c D e r m o t t ' s 
a s s e r t i o n 
t h a t 
he 
was 
n o t 
p r o p e r l y 
s e r v e d 
p l a c e d 
t h e 
b u r d e n 
o f 
e s t a b l i s h i n g p r o p e r s e r v i c e on Tabb, and b e c a u s e t h a t b u r d e n 
was n o t met, t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
d e c i s i o n d e n y i n g M c D e r m o t t ' s 
m o t i o n t o v a c a t e was i n e r r o r . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s j u d g m e n t i s 
9 
1071536 
r e v e r s e d , and t h e c a u s e i s remanded f o r f u r t h e r 
p r o c e e d i n g s 
c o n s i s t e n t 
w i t h 
t h i s 
o p i n i o n . 
REVERSED AND REMANDED. 
Cobb, C . J . , and L y o n s , 
B o l i n , and M u r d o c k , J J . , c o n c u r . 
10