Opinion ID: 6110794
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Dismissal as a Strike

Text: Finally, when a circuit court lacks jurisdiction over a defendant, any judgment rendered thereafter is void ab inito. E.g. , Raymond v. Raymond , 343 Ark. 480 , 485, 36 S.W.3d 733 , 735 (2001) ; see also Zanone Props. , supra ; Kirchoff , supra. Here, the circuit court's order granted the Appellees' motion to dismiss and designated the dismissal as a strike under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-68-607 . For a dismissal to constitute a strike, the circuit court must have determined that Davis's cause of action was frivolous or malicious, or that Davis failed to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. See Ark. Code Ann. § 16-68-607 (b). Either inquiry would have required the court to go beyond the threshold determination of whether Davis served Appellees with valid process. Upon determining that summons and service of process were insufficient in this case, the court lacked jurisdiction to designate the dismissal as a strike pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 16-68-607 . Accordingly, we reverse  the court's designation of Davis's dismissal as a strike. Affirmed as modified in part; reversed in part. Hart, J., concurs. Baker, J., dissents.