Opinion ID: 2278796
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Propriety of Prohibition

Text: It is essential, initially, for this court to examine whether prohibition is the appropriate remedy. We first observe that Curtis Green has named the individual judge and the Howells as respondents to his petition. That is incorrect. Prohibition lies to the circuit court and not to the individual judge. See The Travelers Insur. Co. v. Smith, 329 Ark. 336, 947 S.W.2d 382 (1997); Ford v. Wilson, 327 Ark. 243, 939 S.W.2d 258 (1997); Lee v. McNeil, 308 Ark. 114, 823 S.W.2d 837 (1992). Accordingly, we will treat the petition as one against the circuit court. See Ford v. Wilson, supra . We recently set out the requirements for a writ of prohibition: A writ of prohibition is extraordinary relief which is appropriate only when the trial court is wholly without jurisdiction. Henderson Specialties, Inc. v. Boone County Circuit Court, 334 Ark. 111, 971 S.W.2d 234 (1998); Nucor Holding Corp. v. Rinkines, 326 Ark. 217, 931 S.W.2d 426 (1996). The writ is appropriate only when there is no other remedy, such as an appeal, available. Henderson Specialties, Inc. v. Boone County Circuit Court, supra ; West Memphis Sch. Dist. No. 4 v. Circuit Court, 316 Ark. 290, 871 S.W.2d 368 (1994) (quoting National Sec. Fire & Cas. Co. v. Poskey, 309 Ark. 206, 828 S.W.2d 836 (1992)). When deciding whether prohibition will lie, we confine our review to the pleadings in the case. The Wise Company, Inc. v. Clay Circuit, 315 Ark. 333, 869 S.W.2d 6 (1993). State v. Circuit Court of Lincoln County, 336 Ark. 122, 125, 984 S.W.2d 412, 414 (1999). We have further made it clear that prohibition is not an appropriate remedy where there are disputed facts for the trial court to resolve. See Nucor-Yamato Steel v. Circuit Court, 317 Ark. 493, 878 S.W.2d 745 (1994). Curtis Green acknowledges that where his usual place of abode and dwelling house were in October 1997 for purposes of Rule 4(d) may represent a disputed issue of fact because he was in boarding school in Missouri at the time. He concedes, however, that for purposes of his petition and Rule 4(d) his father's home was his usual place of abode and dwelling house. The question then arises as to whether lack of service of process and, thus, personal jurisdiction in the circuit court constitutes grounds for prohibition. We have held that a complete lack of service of process can give rise to the issuance of a writ of prohibition. See Gillioz v. Kincannon, 213 Ark. 1010, 214 S.W.2d 212 (1948). In Gillioz , the defendants were nonresidents of the state, and constructive service was had on them by appointing the Secretary of State as their agent for service of process and serving the Secretary of State. The legislative act permitting constructive service was passed after the alleged negligence of the defendants, which led to the lawsuit. There was, therefore, no law in effect permitting in personam jurisdiction in the circuit court at the time of the defendants' alleged negligence, and we granted the writ. Similarly, Curtis Green in the instant case petitions on the basis that the circuit court never obtained personal jurisdiction over him. We hold that this is a proper ground for consideration of a prohibition writ.