Opinion ID: 2067177
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: method of questioning jurisdiction

Text: This premise brings us to the manner in which the mother questioned the juvenile court's jurisdiction. The bill of exceptions demonstrates that counsel for the mother orally called to the juvenile court's attention its lack of jurisdiction over the mother with respect to the support issue. We have held that before filing any other pleading or motion, one may file a special appearance for the sole purpose of objecting to a court's assertion or exercise of personal jurisdiction over the objector. Williams v. Gould, Inc., 232 Neb. 862, 443 N.W.2d 577 (1989). An appearance is special when its sole purpose is to question the jurisdiction of the court. West Town Homeowners Assn. v. Schneider, 221 Neb. 674, 380 N.W.2d 265 (1986). It unquestionably would have been better practice for counsel to have filed such a written special appearance. But the fact that he did not do so did not serve to confer upon the juvenile court jurisdiction over the mother's person. It is also true, as the county attorney argues, that one who, having entered a special appearance, seeks further relief or makes a later request for other relief may be held to have made a general appearance. West Town Homeowners Assn., supra . Moreover, Neb.Rev.Stat. § 25-516.01 (Reissue 1995) provides that a defendant's participation in proceedings on any issue other than jurisdiction over the person waives any objection that the court erred in overruling the special appearance except the objection that the defendant is not amenable to process issued by a court of this state. Thus, the filing of a motion for a continuance constitutes a general appearance and confers jurisdiction over the moving party. Eliason v. Devaney, 228 Neb. 331, 422 N.W.2d 356 (1988); State v. Wedige, 205 Neb. 687, 289 N.W.2d 538 (1980). But while the record shows that the support hearing was continued numerous times, there is nothing in the record showing that the mother either personally or through counsel sought any of these postponements. We cannot assume that any of those delays were requested by the mother. In so writing, we are not unmindful that it is an appellant's duty to include in the bill of exceptions matters which are material to the issues presented for review. See Bell Fed. Credit Union v. Christianson, 244 Neb. 267, 505 N.W.2d 710 (1993). We similarly held in Ward v. Ward, 220 Neb. 799, 373 N.W.2d 389 (1985), an appeal from a decree dissolving the marriage of the parties, dividing their property, and awarding the wife alimony, that a bill of exceptions containing only the evidence adduced by the appellant husband was inadequate and provided no basis for modifying the trial court decree. We reasoned that without all the evidence, we could not undertake the required de novo review to determine whether the trial court had abused its discretion in entering its decree. That being so, we held that it was not incumbent upon the wife to have filed a supplemental request for the preparation of a bill of exceptions which included the evidence she adduced. However, here, the mother provided us with a bill of exceptions which demonstrates that she entered a voluntary appearance. Given that our review is for an error of law, the evidence she has presented in the bill of exceptions satisfies her burden to show that she properly objected to the juvenile court's assertion of jurisdiction over her person. If evidence existed to establish that the mother in some manner waived the service of summons, it was incumbent upon the county attorney to ask the court reporter to include such evidence in the bill of exceptions. See Neb. Ct. R. of Prac. 5B(1)c (rev.1995). What the record does reveal, however, is that in response to the juvenile court's question at the support hearing as to whether counsel for the mother had any objection to the court's receiving in evidence an exhibit consisting of this court's child support guidelines, counsel responded: None, Your Honor. It would certainly have been more cautious practice for counsel to have said something such as, With all due respect, I am not here, Your Honor, or I have no comment, Your Honor. But the fact remains that counsel's statement did not amount to such participation in the proceeding that he thereby entered a voluntary appearance on behalf of his client. After all, counsel did not volunteer that he had no objection to the receipt of the exhibit, he merely responded to a question the court had no reason to pose. In the absence of anyone making an objection, there is none upon which a court can rule. In the context made, counsel's statement constituted no more than a refusal to interject in the proceeding.