Opinion ID: 2621932
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: [¶9] In her first issue, Ms. Wolfe asserts that the district court lacked jurisdiction to consider Mr. Largent's W.R.C.P. 60(b) motion to set aside the judgment. Whether a court has jurisdiction is a question of law to be reviewed de novo.  SEG v. GDK, 2007 WY 203, ¶ 4, 173 P.3d 395, 395 (Wyo.2007). [¶10] The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA), as adopted in Wyoming, generally provides a process allowing support orders from foreign jurisdictions to be enforced in Wyoming. Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 20-4-139, et seq. The foreign order is registered in this state when filed in district court. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 20-4-175(a); State ex rel. Mahoney v. St. John, 964 P.2d 1242, 1244 (Wyo.1998). The foreign order must be accompanied by, among other attachments, a sworn statement by the party seeking registration or a certified statement by the custodian of the records showing the amount of any arrearage. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 20-4-174(a)(iii) (LexisNexis 2003). Once the order is registered, the court must notify the nonregistering party of its registration. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 20-4-177. The nonregistering party may contest the validity or enforcement of a registered order by requesting a hearing within 20 days of service. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 20-4-178(a). If the nonregistering party fails to request a hearing within the allotted time, the order is confirmed by operation of law. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 20-4-178(b). Confirmation of a registered order, whether by operation of law or after notice and hearing, precludes further contest of the order with respect to any matter that could have been asserted at the time of registration. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 20-4-180. [¶11] Because Mr. Largent did not request a hearing to contest the validity or enforcement of the registered order within 20 days of personal service, that order was confirmed by operation of law. Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 20-4-178(a), (b). Ms. Wolfe contends that, as a result of the order's confirmation, the district court did not have the power or jurisdiction to extend the twenty day period allowed by [the] UIFSA to contest registration of the Washington support order. We disagree. [¶12] Mr. Largent sought relief from the default judgment pursuant to W.R.C.P. 55(c) and 60(b). W.R.C.P. 55(c) states: For good cause shown the court may set aside an entry of default and, if a judgment by default has been entered, may likewise set it aside in accordance with Rule 60(b). W.R.C.P. 60(b), in relevant part, states: On motion, and upon such terms as are just, the court may relieve a party or a party's legal representative from a final judgment, order, or proceeding for the following reasons: (1) mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect. The Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure govern procedure ... in all actions, suits or proceedings of a civil nature and in all special statutory proceedings and apply to civil actions to enforce a foreign support order. W.R.C.P. 1. Accordingly, the district court had jurisdiction to determine Mr. Largent's motion to set aside the default judgment.