Opinion ID: 2634467
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Jurisdiction To Review

Text: [¶ 8] Mother contends that under our previous decision in Madden v. Madden, 558 P.2d 669, 670 (Wyo.1977), the contempt order is not an appealable order because neither a fine nor imprisonment was imposed. However, as we later explained, Madden held that an order originating in a contempt proceeding, which does not even purport to find a party in contempt, is interlocutory only and therefore not appealable. Stone v. Stone, 842 P.2d 545, 547 (Wyo.1992) (citing Madden, 558 P.2d at 670). We have held that where a court alters reasonable visitation to supervised visitation, without benefit of a modification hearing, and indefinitely denies a parent visitation with children except under supervised conditions, such a drastic modification is not interlocutory but is an appealable final order. Matter of SAJ, 942 P.2d 407, 409 (Wyo.1997). Here, Father was held in contempt and his visitation modified as a sanction; accordingly, we hold that this order affected his substantial rights and is appealable. SAJ, 942 P.2d at 409. [¶ 9] On the merits, Father contends that the admonition was an interlocutory order that merged with the divorce decree and was extinguished. He contends that Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 20-2-203(a) (LexisNexis 2003) grants the district court continuing subject matter jurisdiction to enforce decrees but not to enforce a temporary order, which is not made part of the final decree, and the order is void and null. Mother contends that father failed to timely appeal the interlocutory order after the July hearing and is precluded from now collaterally attacking its contents and also contends that the final decree adopted the order as the law of the case. [¶ 10] Father has properly appealed the contempt order and not collaterally attacked the earlier admonition. Mother presents no evidence that the admonition was actually adopted by the divorce decree to become the law of the case. Thus, Father has presented the proper issue for our review, which is whether the district court lacked subject matter jurisdiction to enforce the admonition because it was an interlocutory order that merged with the divorce decree and was extinguished. [¶ 11] Jurisdiction is essential to the exercise of judicial power, and whether a court had subject matter jurisdiction is always subject to review and cannot be waived. Terex Corp. v. Hough, 2002 WY 112, ¶ 5, 50 P.3d 317, ¶ 5 (Wyo.2002). Unless the court has jurisdiction, it lacks any authority to proceed, and any decision, judgment, or other order is, as a matter of law, utterly void and of no effect for any purpose. Subject matter jurisdiction, like jurisdiction over the person, is not a subject of judicial discretion. There is a difference, however, because the lack of jurisdiction over the person can be waived, but lack of subject matter jurisdiction cannot be. Subject matter jurisdiction either exists or it does not and, before proceeding to a disposition on the merits, a court should be satisfied that it does have the requisite jurisdiction. Id. (quoting Boyd v. Nation, 909 P.2d 323, 325 (Wyo.1996)). [¶ 12] Courts maintain continuing subject matter jurisdiction to enforce or modify decrees and may use contempt as a sanction to enforce court orders. Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 20-2-203(a) and -204. The statute limits the continuing subject matter jurisdiction to enforcement of decrees. We generally determine the intent of a statute by its language if plain and unambiguous. Parker Land & Cattle Co. v. Wyoming Game & Fish Comm'n, 845 P.2d 1040, 1043 (Wyo.1993). The statutory language plainly evidences no intent to allow enforcement of an interlocutory order. [¶ 13] The general rule is that all provisional or interlocutory proceedings in a matter are merged in, and disposed of, by the final decree. Hinrichs v. Office of Family & Children of Allen County, 798 N.E.2d 867, 872 (Ind.App.2003). Our review of the record does not show evidence that the oral admonition was a permanent injunction that survived entry of the divorce decree. The admonition was delivered from the bench after a motion hearing about temporary visitation until the parties' competing custody claims could be heard on the merits at trial. The motion was dismissed without allowing Father to present evidence; and, although Father was admonished, the district court's instruction to Father was not a final order that reached or determined the substantive rights of the parties from which Father could have appealed. Plainly, then, the oral admonition was interlocutory. [¶ 14] Mother and Father entered into a settlement agreement that resolved fitness, custody and visitation issues, and the admonition was not made part of the agreement or the decree. The controversy that had resulted in the admonition was resolved at that time and, therefore, necessarily merged into the divorce decree and was extinguished. After entry of the divorce decree, the interlocutory order did not exist to be enforced by later proceedings. [¶ 15] Although the divorce decree was entered without incorporating the court's earlier admonition, the court relied on it to issue an order to show cause why Father should not be held in contempt and then issued a contempt order for violating that order. After the divorce decree was entered, however, that earlier oral admonition merged and no longer existed. The district court did not have subject matter jurisdiction to enforce an interlocutory order, and the contempt order is null and void. Therefore, the contempt order is vacated.