In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d: F e b ru ary 2

, 2 01 5

S 1 4 A1 6 5 6. REYNOLDS v

. REYNOLDS

.

HUNS T EIN, Ju stic e

.

We g ra n te d th e d isc re tio n a ry a p p lic a tio n o f Ap p e lla n t Do ro th y M.

Re y n old s (Wife ) p u rsu a n t to S u p re m e Co u rt Ru le 3 4 in th is d iv o rc e c a se

. F o r

th e r e a s o n s s e t fo rth b e lo w, we re v e rse th e tria l c ou rt’s o rd e r d e n y in g Wife ’s

m o tio n to se t a sid e

.

Ap p e lle e Re x E. Re y n o ld s (Hu sb a n d ), p ro c e e d i n g with c o u n se l, file d a

c o m p la in t fo r d iv orc e a lle g in g th a t W ife w a s a “ no n-re sid e n t o f th e S t a t e o f

Ge o rg ia

, wh o se la st k n o wn a d d re ss is 1 03 B ra d le y Circ le

, Ba rn e sv ille

, Ge o rg ia

3 0 2 04 ” a n d th a t Wife c o u ld b e se rv e d b y p u b lic a tio n p u rsu a nt to OCGA § 9 -1 1

-

4 (f) (1 ). Hu sb a n d file d a n a ffid a v it a ffir mi n g t h e s e f a c ts. Ba se d o n th e se

filin g s, th e c o u rt issu e d a n o r d e r fo r se rv ic e b y p u b lic a tio n

, a nd se rv ic e b y

p u b lic a tio n in th e lo c a l p a p e r wa s m a d e

. Hu sb a n d su b se q ue n tly file d a m o tio n

fo r ju d g m e n t o n th e p le a di n g s a n d se rv e d Wife with th is m o tio n a t h e r la st

k n o w n a d d re ss in Ba rn e sv ille

, Ge o rg ia

. Th e re a fte r, t h e c o u rt g ra n te d H u sb a n d ’sm o tio n fo r ju d g m e n t o n th e p le a d in gs a n d e n te re d a fin a l ju d g m e n t a n d d e c re e

o f d iv orc e b e twe e n th e p a rtie s.

S e v e ra l m on th s la te r, Wife

, p ro c e e d in g p ro se

, file d a v e rifie d m o tio n to

se t a sid e th e fin a l ju d g m e n t a n d d e c re e o f d iv o rc e

, c o n te n d in g th a t Hu sb a n d d id

n o t p ra c tic e du e d ilig e n c e fo r se rv ic e b y p u b lic a tio n a s re qu ire d b y OCGA § 9

-

1 1 -4 (f) (1 ) ( A ) ; H u s b a n d k n e w a t th e tim e h e file d h is c o m p la in t th a t Wife

re sid e d with in Ge o rg ia ; a n d H u s b a n d c o m m itte d a fra u d u p o n th e c o u rt b y

a lle g in g th a t Wife wa s a n o n -re sid e n t. Hu sb a nd

, pro c e e d in g pro se

, file d a

re sp o n se

, in wh ic h h e s t a t e d t h a t Wife wa s lo c a te d “ m o stly in Jo n e s Co u n ty ,”

a n d he r n o n

- r e sid e n t sta tu s in h is c o m p la in t an d a ffid a v it wa s a “ ty p o .” He

fu rth e r qu e stio n e d h o w Wife c o u ld b e d e e m e d a n on -re sid e n t w h e n he r a d d re ss

wa s in Ba rn e sv ille

, Ge o rg ia

. H u sb an d ’s c e rtific a te of se rv ic e a c c o m p an y in g h is

re sp o n se sh ows th a t h e se rv e d Wife with h is re sp o n se a t 3 2 3 Ab e rn a th y S tre e t,

F o rsy th , Ge o rg ia , 3 1 0 2 9

.

Wife re p lie d b y filin g a m o tio n to su pp re ss m a n y of Hu sb a n d ’s sta te m e n ts

in h is re sp o n se

. S h e a sk e d th e c o u rt to strik e Hu sb a n d’s sta te m e n t th a t h e r n o n

re sid e n t sta tu s w a s a ty po gra p h ic a l e rro r b e c a

use H u sb a n d ’s c o u n se l wo u ld n o t

h a v e m a d e s u ch a m ista k e in filin g th e c o m p la in t, a n d in ste a d

, sh e c o n te n d e d

2th a t Hu sb a n d h a d c o m m itte d a fra u d u p o n th e c o u rt. Co u nse l fo r Hu sb a n d file d

a n a m e n d e d re sp o n se to W ife ’s m o tio n to se t a sid e a n d m o tio n to su p p re ss,

c o n te n d in g th a t if Wife d id n o t re c e iv e no tic e o f Hu sb a n d ’s c o m p la in t fo r

d iv o rc e , it wa s d u e to Wife ’s o wn n e g lig e n c e a n d fa u lt.

Wife a p p e a r e d p r o se fo r a h e a rin g o n h e r m o tio n to se t a sid e a n d wa s

in stru c te d b y th e c o u rt to se e k th e a ssista n c e o f c o u n se l. Wife su b se q u e n tly

a p p e a re d with c o u n se l fo r a h e a rin g o n h e r m o tio n to se t a sid e , b u t n o h e a rin g

a p p e a rs to b e ha v e b e e n h e ld

. In ste a d

, th e c o u rt issu e d a n ord e r d e n y in g Wife ’s

m o ti o n to se t a sid e

. Th is Co u rt th e n g ra n te d Wife ’s d isc re tio n a ry a p p lic a tio n

to a p p e a l th e c o u rt’s o rd e r d e n y in g he r m o tio n to se t a sid e an d d ire c te d th e

p a rtie s to a d d re ss w h e th e r th e c o u rt e rre d b y de n y in g Wife ’s m o tio n to se t a sid e

th e d iv o r c e d e c re e in re g a rd to Wife ’s c o n te n tio n th a t se rv ic e o f th e d iv orc e

a c tio n b y p u b lic a tio n wa s im p ro p e r.

Wife a rg u e s th a t th e tria l c o u rt e rre d b y g ra n tin g an ord e r fo r se rv ic e b y

p u b lic a tio n b e c a

u se Hu sb a

n d ’s a ffid a v it d id n ot m e e t th e sta nd a rd s fo r se rv ic e

b y p ub lic a tio n p u rsu a n t to O C G A § 9

- 1 1 -4 (f) (1 ) (A). S he c o n te n ds th a t n o

se rv ic e wa s e v e r p e rfe c te d u p o n h e r, sh e d id n o t re c e iv e a c tu a l k n o wle d g e o f th e

d iv o rc e a c tio n

, a nd sh e wa s n ot p re se n t, e ith e r in p e rso n o r th ro ug h h e r c o u n se l,

3fo r a n y h e a rin g in th e d iv o rc e a c tio n

. S h e fu rth e r a sse rts th a t th e c ou rt d id n o t

h o ld a h e a rin g o n h e r m o tio n to se t a sid e

.

[W] h e th e r a p ro c e e d in g is in re m o r in p e rso n a m

, d u e p ro c e ss

re q u ire s th a t a c h o se n m e th o d o f se rv ic e b e re a so n a b ly c e rta in to

g iv e a c tu a l n o tic e o f th e p e n d e n c y o f a pro c e e din g to th o se p artie s

wh o se lib e rty or p ro p e rty in te re sts m a y b e a d v e rse ly a ffe c te d b y th e

p ro c e e d in g

. B e c a

u se n o t i c e b y p ub lic a tio n is a n o to rio usly

u n re liab le m e a n s o f a c tu a lly in fo rm in g in te re ste d p a rtie s a b o u t

p e n d in g su its, t h e c o n stitu tio n a l pre re q u isite fo r a llo win g su c h

s e r v ic e w h e n th e a d d re sse s o f th o se p a rtie s a re u n k no w n i s a

sh o win g th a t re a so n a

b le d ilig e n c e h a s b e e n e xe rc ise d in a tte m p tin g

to a sc e rta in th e ir wh e re a

b o u ts.

Ab b a G a n a v

. Ab b a G a na

, 2 5 1 Ga

. 3 4 0

, 3 4 3 (1 ) (3 0 4 S E2 d 90 9) (1 9 8 3 )

( c i t a t i o n s o m itte d ). “ [I] t is th e d u ty o f th e c o u rts to d e te rm in e wh e th e r t h e

m o v an t h a s e x e rc ise d d u e d i lig e n c e in p u rsu in g e ve ry re a so n a bly a v a ilab le

c h a n n e l o f in fo rm a tio n .” Id

. Th o u g h t h e t r i a l c ou rt m a k e s th is d e te rm in a tio n

in itia lly

, th is Co u rt m

u st in d e p e n d e n t l y re v ie w wh e th e r th e se a rc h fo r th e

a b se nte e p a rty wa s le g a lly a d e q u a te . Id

.

Th e re c o rd sh o ws th a t th e re we re ob v io us c h a nn e ls o f in fo rm a tio n

a v a ilable to Hu sb a

n d fo r lo c a ti n g W i f

e

. Hu sb a nd k n e w th a t Wife w a s liv in g

with h e r b o y frie n d

. In a d d itio n

, a fe w d a y s b e fo re th e c o u rt issu e d a n o rd e r

re q u irin g se rv ic e b y p u b lic a tio n

, Wife wa s c h a rg e d with c rim in a l d a m a g e to

Hu sb a nd ’s p ro pe rty a t a

n a d d re ss in Fo rsy th

, Ge org ia

. Wife a lso c o n te n d s th a t

4th e re we re th re e in d iv id u a ls, o n e o f wh i c h wa s Wife ’s d a u g h te r, wh o h a d

c o n ta c t with b o th W ife a n d Hu sb a n d a nd w a s a wa re o f Wife ’s a d d re ss. De sp ite

th e a v a ilability o f th e se p o te ntia l so u rc e s fo r in fo rm a tio n

, th e r ec o r d d o e s n o t

in d ic a te th a t Hu sb a n d m a d e a n “h o n e st a n d we ll dire c te d e ffo rt to u se th e m .”

Id

. We a re mi n d f

u l t h a t “[t] h e ty p ic a l d iv o rc e c o m p la in a nt u su a lly k n o w s

sig nific a n t b a c k g ro un d in fo rm a tio n a b o u t th e m issi n g s po u se

, a nd th e re fo re

u su a lly h a s m a n y fe a sib le m e th o ds o f tra c k in g d o wn th e a b se n te e .” Id

. a t 3 4 4

.

We c o n c lu d e th a t H u s b a n d c o u ld ha v e a sc e rta in e d Wife ’s a d d re ss th ro u g h

re a so na b ly d ilig e n t e ffo rts b u t fa ile d to d o so

. T h e re fo re

, se rv ic e b y p u b lic a tio n

d id n o t m e e t th e c o n stitu tio n a l re q u ire m e n ts o f d u e pro c e ss, a nd th e c ou rt e rre d

in d e n y in g Wife ’s m o tio n to se t a sid e

. 1 S e e P ie rc e v

. P ie rc e

, 2 7 0 Ga

. 41 6 (5 1 1

S E2 d 1 5 7) (1 9 9 9 ) (re v e rsin g tria l c o u rt’s d e n ia l o f th e wife ’s m o tio n to se t a sid e

b e c a u se se rv ic e by p u b lic a tio n d id n ot m e e t th e c on stitu tio n a l re q u ire m e n ts o f

1 W e n o t e t hat Hu s b an d ’ s co n t en t i o n s i n h is p ro s e res p o n s e to W i fe’ s m o t i o n

t o s et as i d e fu rt h er i n d i cat e t h a t h e k n e w Wi fe was lo cat ed i n Geo rg i a. H o wev er,

aft er th e co u rt i s s u ed t h e fi n al ju d g m en t an d d ecree o f d i v o rce an d W i fe fi l ed h er

m o ti o n t o s et as i d e s ev eral m o n t hs l at er, i t i s u n cl ear wh et her H u s b a n d s t i l l h ad

ret ai n ed co u n s e l an d co un s el was Hu s b an d ’ s at t o rn ey o f reco rd

. If s o

, t h en

Hu s ban d ’s p r o se res p o ns e s ho u l d n o t h av e been co n si d ered b y t h e tri al co u rt an d

co u ld n o t b e co n s id ered b y t hi s Co u rt . See Seag rav es v . St at e, 2 5 9 Ga. 3 6

, 3 8 (3 7 6

SE2 d 6 7 0) (1 9 8 9) (“ a l ay

p ers o n d o es n o t h av e t h e ri g h t t o rep res en t h i m s el f an d al s o

b e rep res en t ed b y an at t o rn ey ”). Reg ard les s

, Hu s b an d ’ s p ro s e al l eg at i o n s are n ot

n eces s ary fo r o u r an al y s i s h ere.

5d u e p ro c e ss); Ab b a Ga n a

, 2 5 1 Ga

. a t 3 4 3 -3 4 4 (re v e rsin g tria l c o u rt’s d e n ia l o f

th e hu sb a n d ’s m o tio n to se t a sid e u p o n fin d in g th a t th e c o u rt e rre d in

a u th oriz i n g s er v ic e b y p ub lic a tio n be c a u se th e wife h a d n o t e x e rc ise d d u e

d ilig e n c e in a tte m

p tin g to lo c a te th e h u sb a n d ).

In a d d itio n

, OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4 (f) (1 ) (A) se ts f o r t h t h e re q u ire m e n ts fo r

se rv ic e b y p u b li c a t i o n

. Of re le v a n c e h e re

, th e m o va n t is re q u ire d to file a n

a ffid a vit with th e c o u rt in su p p o rt o f s e r v i c e b y p u b lic a tio n

, wh e n se rv ic e is

b a se d o n th e a

b se n te e p a rty ’s re sid e n c e o u tsid e o f th e sta te a n d a n u n k n o wn

p re se nt a d d re ss.

[T] h e a ffia n t sh a ll sta te g e ne ra lly in th e a ffid a v it th a t a t a p re v io u s

tim e su c h pe rso n re sid e d o u tsid e th is sta te in a c e rta in p la c e

(n a m in g th e p la c e a n d sta tin g th e la te st d a te k n o wn to a ffia n t w h e n

th e p a rty so re sid e d th e re ); th a t su c h pla c e is th e la st p la c e in wh ic h

th e p a rty re sid e d to th e k n o wle d g e o f a ffia n t; th a t t h e p ar ty n o

lo n g e r re sid e s a t th e p la c e ; th a t a ffia n t d o e s n ot k n o w th e p re se n t

p la c e o f re sid e n c e of th e p a rty or wh e re th e pa rty c an b e fo u n d ; a n d

th a t a ffia n t d o e s n o t k n o w a n d h a s n e v e r b e e n in fo rm e d a n d h a s n o

re a so n to be l i e v e th a t th e p a rty n o w re sid e s in th is sta te ; a n d, in

su c h c a se

, it sh a ll b e p re su m e d th a t th e pa rty still re sid e s a n d

re m a in s o u tsid e th e sta te

, a n d th e a ffid a v it sh a ll b e de e m e d to b e a

su ffic ie nt sh o win g o f d u e d ilig e n c e to fin d th e d e fe n d ant.

OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4 (f) (1 ) (A).

Hu sb a n d’s a ffid a v it in su p p o rt o f se rv ic e b y p u b lic a tio n p u rsu a n t to th is

sta tu te wa s n o t su ffic ie n t. H u sb a n d fa ile d to sta te th a t W ife re sid e d o u tsid e o f

6Ge o rg ia a t a p re v io u s tim e a n d in a c e rta in p la c e ; th a t th is c e rta in p la c e wa s th e

la st p la c e wh e re Wife re sid e d to H u sb a nd ’s k n o wle d ge ; th a t Wife n o lo n g e r

re sid e d a t th is p la c e ; th a t h e did n o t k n o w w h e re Wife p re se ntly re sid e d o r c o u ld

b e fo un d ; a n d th a t h e did n o t k n o w, h a d n e v e r b e e n in fo rm e d, a n d h a d n o re a so n

to b e lie v e th a t Wife n o w re sid e d i n Ge o rg ia

. S e e id

. Hu sb a n d’s in su ffic ie n t

a ffid a vit is fu rth e r p ro o f th a t h e d id n o t e xe rc ise d u e d ilig e n c e in lo c a tin g Wife

.

S e e id

.

Ju d g m e nt Re v e rse d . All th e Ju stic e s c on c u r.

7