Opinion ID: 1158088
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: scope of review/law

Text: An action to enforce a foreign judgment is an action at law. See Carson v. Vance, 326 S.C. 543, 485 S.E.2d 126 (Ct.App.1997). In an action at law, tried by a judge without a jury, the findings of the trial court must be affirmed if there is any evidence to support them. Townes Assocs., Ltd. v. City of Greenville, 266 S.C. 81, 221 S.E.2d 773 (1976). Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each state to the . . . judicial proceedings of every other State. U.S. Const. Art. IV, § 1. In accordance with this mandate, the courts of one state must give such force and effect to a foreign judgment as the judgment would receive in the state where rendered. Hamilton v. Patterson, 236 S.C. 487, 115 S.E.2d 68 (1960). The validity and effect of a foreign judgment must be determined by the laws of the state which rendered the judgment. Hamilton v. Patterson ; Security Credit Leasing, Inc. v. Armaly, 339 S.C. 533, 529 S.E.2d 283 (Ct.App.2000); Purdie v. Smalls, 293 S.C. 216, 220, 359 S.E.2d 306, 308 (Ct.App.1987). A judgment presumes jurisdiction over the subject matter and over the persons, and if it appears on its face to be a record of a court of general jurisdiction, jurisdiction is to be presumed unless disproved by extrinsic evidence, or by the record itself. Taylor v. Taylor, 229 S.C. 92, 97, 91 S.E.2d 876, 879 (1956).