Opinion ID: 2635719
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Whether the district court had jurisdiction to enter an order modifying the child custody provisions of a divorce decree in the absence of a petition from either party/parent seeking such modification?

Text: [¶ 13] Generally, courts have only that authority to act which is conferred by the subject statute. Bush v. State, 2003 WY 156, ¶ 9, 79 P.3d 1178, 1183 (Wyo.2003) (quoting Merkison v. State, 996 P.2d 1138, 1141 (Wyo.2000)). It is well settled that divorce is purely a statutory process, with courts having no authority in such proceedings other than that provided by statute. Urbach v. Urbach, 52 Wyo. 207, 73 P.2d 953, 956 (1937); 24 Am.Jur.2d Divorce and Separation § 7 (2008). This limitation extends to the court's power to modify a divorce decree. Aragon v. Aragon, 2005 WY 5, ¶ 10, 104 P.3d 756, 759-60 (Wyo.2005); Smith v. Smith, 895 P.2d 37, 41 (Wyo.1995); CSP v. DDC, 842 P.2d 528, 531 (Wyo.1992); 24 Am.Jur.2d Divorce and Separation § 369 (2008). In that regard, Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 20-2-203(c) and 20-2-204(a) (LexisNexis 2009) allow any party or parent to seek modification of a custody order. No statute authorizes a child or his or her guardian ad litem to initiate a petition for change of custody. The husband and wife are the only proper parties in a divorce action; the parties' children are not parties. Ihinger v. Ihinger, 2003 VT 38, ¶ 7, 175 Vt. 520, 824 A.2d 601, 603 (Vt.2003); 24 Am.Jur.2d Divorce and Separation § 197 (2008). In the instant case, the district court modified custody, despite the absence of any petition to modify filed by either party/parent. It was without jurisdiction to do so.