Opinion ID: 2384186
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Difference Between the Two Kinds of Appeal

Text: In Taylor v. Collins, 172 Ark. 541, 289 S.W. 466 (1927), we explained the difference between the standards for collateral attack and direct appeal. In that case, the petition for adoption alleged that the child was a resident of the county, but his name was unknown and could not be ascertained. Thus, it was impossible to comply with that part of the statute that required the name of the child be set out in the petition. We explained that this might constitute error on direct appeal, but not on collateral attack because, once jurisdiction has been established, regularity is presumed. Another case setting out the difference in the proceedings is Avery v. Avery, 160 Ark. 375, 255 S.W. 18 (1923). In that case, we held that, unless the jurisdictional facts appear in the record, an adoption is void because jurisdiction is never presumed for a court of limited jurisdiction. However, if the jurisdictional facts do appear, the adoption is valid, and the jurisdictional facts recited cannot be attacked in a collateral proceeding. We explained that once jurisdiction is shown, the proceedings are presumed to be regular, but again wrote that there is a difference between collateral attack and direct appeal as follows: []Appellant contends that the order is void and subject to collateral attack because it does not recite that it was shown by two witnesses that the residence of the father was unknown. But the jurisdiction of the court did not, in our opinion, depend on such evidence, nor was it necessary to make such a recital in the record. Making the order of adoption without such proof would be error, and might be ground to set such order of adoption aside, on petition of the father of the adopted child, but neither D.L. Coleman, on whose petition the order of adoption was made, nor any one claiming through him, as plaintiff does, would be allowed to object to the judgment on that ground. Id. at 384, 255 S.W. at 21 (quoting Coleman v. Coleman, 81 Ark. 7, 12, 98 S.W. 733 (1906)).