Opinion ID: 405927
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Jurisdiction over quasi-community property

Text: 46 Virtually all of the property that was the basis for the property division judgment was located outside of California. The California court exercised jurisdiction to divide the property under California's quasi-community property statute, which treats as community property all property acquired by a spouse while domiciled elsewhere that would have been community property if the spouse had been domiciled in California at the time of acquisition. Cal. Civil Code § 4803. Fred contends that under the laws of Florida, where he claims to be domiciled, this property is not subject to division and that therefore application of California's quasi-community property statute was unconstitutional because he has insufficient contacts with the state. 47 The district court did not address this contention so we must determine whether it was adequately presented below. This defense was first mentioned obliquely in Fred's answer to the supplemental complaint, 23 and again mentioned in his motion for new trial filed after the district court's entry of summary judgment for Verone. 24 For several reasons, neither instance was sufficient to preserve the issue for appeal. 48 First, the defense concerning quasi-community property mentioned in Fred's answer to the supplemental complaint was abandoned. At no time during the lengthy district court proceedings did Fred develop this argument in his briefs to the court, through oral argument, or through citation of authority. In particular, the point was not even mentioned in the two briefs filed by Fred in opposition to summary judgment. Failure to brief and argue an issue is grounds for finding that the issue has been abandoned. See U. S. v. Indiana Bonding & Surety Co., 625 F.2d 26, 29 (5th Cir. 1980) (defense waived even though listed in pretrial order because no evidence presented and not mentioned in proposed findings of facts and conclusions of law); Tedder v. F. M. C. Corp., 590 F.2d 115 (5th Cir. 1979) (point abandoned on appeal where raised in statement of issues but not addressed elsewhere in brief). We do not rest on this default alone, however, for Fred did not include this defense in his pretrial stipulation of the issues to be determined by the court. The district court ordered the parties to reach an agreed pretrial stipulation. Fred filed his unilaterally and Verone accepted with some changes not relevant here. We find, then, as in Tomlinson v. Lefkowitz, 334 F.2d 262, 263 (5th Cir. 1964), cert. denied, 379 U.S. 962, 85 S.Ct. 650, 13 L.Ed.2d 556 (1965) that: 49 (t)he parties agreed by stipulation ... what issues of fact and law were to be decided by the trial court. This point was not included in those issues remaining open for consideration. Thus the appellant should not be permitted to raise the issue here for the first time. 50 See also Automated Medical Laboratories, Inc. v. Armour Pharmaceutical Co., 629 F.2d 1118, 1123 (5th Cir. 1980) ( 'When the defendant has waived his affirmative defense by failing to ... have it included in a pretrial order of the district court that superseded the pleadings, he cannot revive the defense in a memorandum in support of a motion for summary judgment.' ); F.R.Civ.P. 16 (pretrial order when entered controls the subsequent course of the action). 51 Second, the thirteenth-hour raising of the issue in Fred's motion for a new trial will not cure these defaults. Again, the point was not briefed, nor was it mentioned in the hearing the court held on the motion. Moreover, an argument first raised in a postjudgment motion is simply too late. Excavators & Erectors, Inc. v. Bullard Engineers, Inc., 489 F.2d 318, 320 (5th Cir. 1973). Accord Hanson v. Denckla, 357 U.S. 235, 243-44, 78 S.Ct. 1228, 1234, 2 L.Ed.2d 1283 (1958) (argument raised in lower court for first time in motion for rehearing was not seasonably presented and need not be addressed on review); Sanford Brothers Boats, Inc. v. Vidrine, 412 F.2d 958, 971 (5th Cir. 1969). 52 An issue not properly preserved for appeal will generally not be considered unless the issue is a purely legal one and the asserted error is so obvious that the failure to consider it would result in a miscarriage of justice. Payne v. McLemore's Wholesale & Retail Stores, 654 F.2d 1130, 1145 (5th Cir. 1981), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 102 S.Ct. 1630, 71 L.Ed.2d 866 (1982). Here we find that neither prong of the plain error exception is met. First, this issue is thoroughly factridden. It depends on whether Fred and Verone were domiciled in California, 25 which assets are located out of state and their value, and whether those assets were acquired at a time when the acquiring spouse was not domiciled in California. 53 Second, California's exercise of jurisdiction over the marital assets does not plainly render the property judgment subject to collateral attack. Assuming that an unconstitutional exercise of jurisdiction occurred, it is possible that taking cognizance of this jurisdictional defect is foreclosed under principles of res judicata. 26 Although judgments void for lack of jurisdiction will not be enforced, jurisdiction may not be questioned if the issue was fully and fairly litigated in the rendering court, Underwriters National Assurance Co., supra, --- U.S. at ---- - ----, 102 S.Ct. at 1315-68, 71 L.Ed.2d at 570-74, or, even if not litigated, if the attacking party had a full and fair opportunity to litigate the issue, Sherrer v. Sherrer, 334 U.S. 343, 351, 68 S.Ct. 1087, 1091, 92 L.Ed. 1429 (1948). Fred made a special appearance in California to quash service of process, contending in part that simple residence was not constitutionally sufficient to support jurisdiction in a matrimonial case for purpose of support, attorney's fees or other in personam orders, but instead domicile is required. The court ruled that residence was sufficient. Thus, the alleged unconstitutionality appears to have been fully litigated and decided in the California court, which would foreclose Fred from any collateral attack on this issue. 27