Opinion ID: 1898416
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: did the trial court err by failing to sustain the appellant's motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction over the person of the appellant?

Text: Tim, as the record reveals, was never a resident of the State of Mississippi. His only connection with the State was his assigned military duty at Keesler Air Force Base. Both in the original complaint and in the amended complaint, Millie stated that Tim was a resident citizen of Minnesota, and that their date of separation was November 16, 1984. Tim, without the benefit of a Mississippi attorney, sought relief under the Soldiers' & Sailors' Relief Act. That Act at 50 U.S.C.A. Appendix § 521 provides in part: At any stage thereof any action or proceeding in any court in which a person in military service is involved, either as a plaintiff or defendant, during the period of such service or within sixty days thereafter may, in the discretion of the court in which it is pending, on its own motion, and shall, on application to it by such person ..., be stayed as provided in this Act. ... (emphasis added). This federal statute appertains in both the federal and state courts where military personnel assert it. Initially, this Court notes that process by publication was issued under M.R.C.P. 4(c)(4)(C), and personal service was not attempted under M.R.C.P. 4(c)(5), which facts are the same as in Noble v. Noble, 502 So.2d 317 (Miss. 1987). However, as distinguished from Noble, supra, Tim O'Neill did receive notice by publication as evidenced by the filing of his request for a stay of proceedings. That fact distinguishes this case from Noble, supra . Assuming that the other jurisdictional requirements are met, the chancery court could have determined the divorce and custody issues and adjudged matters relating to property within the state. However, issues of alimony and child support could not be considered in the absence of personal service of process under Rule 4(c)(5), or the defendant's general appearance. Thus, the determination of whether the request for a stay of proceeding constituted an appearance submitting this defendant to in personam jurisdiction is critical. The trial court held that Tim had entered an appearance by requesting relief under the Soldiers' & Sailors' Relief Act. The court at that time ruled as follows: That the defendant, Timothy Peter O'Neill, having made an appearance by and through his motion for stay of proceedings filed on behalf of the defendant in this course under the Soldiers' & Sailors' Relief Act has made an appearance for all purposes and this Court has personal jurisdiction of the defendant. In making the foregoing ruling, the trial court failed to note that Tim was not making a general appearance. Tim's request for relief stated, This request is not to be construed as an appearance. 2A Moore, W. Taggart & J. Wicker, Moore's Federal Practice § 12.12, (2d ed. 1987), states, Obtaining extensions of time and taking depositions before answering have been held not to constitute a waiver of the defenses of lack of jurisdiction of the person and improper venue. To reinforce the rationale set out in Moore's Federal Practice, the case, Orange Theater Corp. v. Rayherstz Amusement Corp., 139 F.2d 871 (3 Cal., 1943) presents an issue similar to the case at bar. Prior to an answer being filed in Orange Theater Corp., two continuances were granted to the defendants. Judge Maris, writing for the Court, states: It necessarily follows that Rule 12 has abolished for the federal court the age old distinction between general and special appearances. A defendant need no longer appear to attack the court's jurisdiction over him... . He may now enter openly in full confidence that he will not thereby be giving up any keys to the courthouse which he possessed before he came in. This, of course is not to say that such keys must not be used properly. If the defense of lack of jurisdiction of the person is not raised by motion before answer or in the answer itself it is by the express term of paragraph (h) of Civil Procedure Rule 12 to be treated as waived, not because of the defendant's voluntary appearance but because of his failure to assert the defense within the time prescribed by the rules. (Emphasis added) Orange Theater Corp., 139 F.2d at 874. With the decision of Orange Theater Corp. in mind, the question remains whether a request which specifically denies a general appearance is nevertheless the equivalent of submitting to the in personam jurisdiction of the court. In Bartner v. Debiasse, 20 F.R.D. 355 (1957), the Court ruled that a continuance request does not amount to a general appearance. The opinion in Bartner states, A defendant so appearing does not waive his right to assert lack of jurisdiction over his person, in view of Rule 12, F.R.Civ.P. 28 U.S.C.A. Id. at 356. M.R.C.P. 12(b)(1) and (2). In Kramer v. Kramer, 668 S.W.2d 457 (Tex. App. 8 Dist. 1984), the Texas Court, facing a similar factual situation to the case at bar, interprets the procedural characteristics of the Soldiers' & Sailors' Civil Relief Act. In Kramer, both parties, husband and wife, were members of the military. The wife, seeking a divorce, alleges in her complaint that she was a resident of Texas and her husband was a non-resident. Similarly, Millie, in the case at bar, claims to be a resident of Mississippi and Tim a resident of Minnesota. The husband in Kramer, using the Soldiers' & Sailors' Civil Relief Act, requests a delay in the proceedings. Respectively, Tim, in the case at bar, makes the same motion. The Court in Kramer states, We do not regard the letter from appellant as an answer and appearance, but rather as an application to stay the proceedings under the Soldiers' & Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940. Id. at 458. Under distinguishing facts, this Court has held a letter denying the merits could constitute an appearance. Miller v. Miller, 512 So.2d 1286 (Miss. 1987). This Court is asked to decide whether Tim's application for a continuance under the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act constitutes a general appearance. As pointed out earlier in this opinion, Tim's motion specifically states that he was not making a general appearance, and Tim submitted this motion prior to the filing of any other pleadings. Additionally, Tim's counsel filed, first, a M.R.C.P. Rule 12(b)(1) and Rule 12(b)(2) motion to dismiss, and upon denial of that motion, secondly, he refiled the same grounds in the answer filed by his attorney. There was never any waiver by Tim of his defense of lack of in personam jurisdiction. M.R.C.P. 12(b). This Court, following the rational in Kramer, holds that Tim's motion for relief amounts to no more than an application to stay the proceedings and should not be construed as an appearance, nor should his subsequent pleading reasserting his defense be considered as waiver of that defense.