Court Opinion

ID: 9534491
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:40:19.86335+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:30:53.908246
License: Public Domain

Mr. Justice GRAY,
dissenting.
I agree with the holding of the majority that the decree of divorce was void for want of jurisdiction over the appellant because of the defective service of process. I would also agree that appellant was free to attack the decree “in any way and at any time * * * by proper proceedings,” Bank of Commerce v. Williams, 52 Wyo. 1, 69 P.2d 525, 531, 110 A.L.R. 1463, and no showing of a defense to the action was necessary in support of the application to vacate the decree, Wunnicke v. Leith, 61 Wyo. 191, 157 P.2d 274, 279. My disagreement is with the premise that the trial court was compelled to grant appellant relief despite all other circumstances in the case. I think the law is not that exacting.
The case here is not dealing with property rights as in Wunnicke. The record affirmatively shows that there was no property in Wyoming affected by the decree and the decree dealt solely with the marital status of the parties, a matter over which the trial court had jurisdiction. When there is added to that the remarriage of appellee to an entirely innocent third person — so far as this record shows — I think it is necessary to explore more fully the premise upon which the holding of the majority opinion rests.
In the first instance I think the reliance placed on the rule pronounced by Barron & Holtzoff is misplaced. The application here was not made under Rule 60(b)(4) of Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure and it was not so treated here or in the trial court. Neither was it an independent action within the permissive statutory procedures excepted from the rule. It was an independent action invoking the equity powers of the court. It is not suggested that the adoption of Rule 60(b)(4) abrogated previous decisions of this court which took cognizance *750of that power. Rush v. Rush, 58 Wyo. 406, 133 P.2d 366, 372.
In James v. Lederer-Strauss & Co., 32 Wyo. 377, 233 P. 137, 141, we also recognized the general rule that the granting or refusing of an application to vacate a judgment rests within the sound discretion of the trial court, even though such judgment was wholly void. Whether or not that discretion was abused is to he tested by established equitable principles. See A. L.I. Restatement of the Law, Judgments § 117(a), p. 565 (1942). And' with respect to divorce decrees the courts have been rather insistent that equity be done. 3 Freeman on Judgments, § 1186, p. 2463 (5th Ed.), says this:
“* * * Decrees of divorce are generally treated like judgments in ordinary civil actions in suits to set them aside, except for a justifiable reluctance to annul them, manifested by the courts, after second marriages on the faith of them have been contracted.”
More directly in point to the question here is the succinct pronouncement made b)' the Supreme Court of Colorado in Boyd v. Boyd, 68 Colo. 293, 189 P. 608, 609. It was there said:
“There is another reason why the case should be reversed. The evidence shows that plaintiff brought the suit from mercenary motives, for the purpose of subjecting defendant to her monetary demands. Motive is immaterial in a suit involving property rights only, hut in an action to set aside a divorce where there has been a remarriage, something more than property rights is involved; conscience, good faith, honesty of purpose, and reasonable diligence are required, and the doctrine of laches, estoppel, and acquiescence prevails. * * *”
In Swift v. Swift, 239 Iowa 62, 29 N.W.2d 535, 539, the Supreme Court of Iowa, faced with a void divorce decree because of a defect in constructive service and a judgment of the trial court setting it aside, liad this to say:
“* * * It is not questioned, nor can it be, that a party against whom a void decree of divorce is granted may be barred by laches or estoppel from attacking it. * * *
“It is true the mere fact of plaintiff’s remarriage does not prevent the court from setting aside the divorce. A party who procures a void divorce cannot by his own act in marrying again prevent the court from setting aside the decree. However, plaintiff’s new marriage is an important consideration in determining whether the decree should be vacated. Courts are disposed to protect an innocent third person who has married a divorced spouse, also to protect possible issue of such marriage, and manifest reluctance to set aside the divorce. * * *”
The principle so pronounced has been cited with approval in several other jurisdictions.
When the circumstances of the instant case are viewed in the light of the foregoing equitable principles, I am unwilling to hold that the trial court abused its discretion. I think it was entirely warranted in finding and concluding, as it did, that appellant had not brought the action in good faith and was guilty of laches. There is substantial evidence to support that determination.
For reasons undisclosed by this record the appellant departed from the home of the parties in South Dakota in the year 1955 and from that time on remained the wife of appellee in name only. She made her home in the East except for a short interval in 1957 when she returned to Rapid City, South Dakota, and in June 1958 commenced an action for divorce from appellee. Upon the filing of the action she again departed for the East and at all times since, by her own admission, has concealed her whereabouts from appellee. That she was not desirous of obtaining a divorce can certainly be inferred. The action in South Dakota simply laid there in repose until 1963 when it was used for the purpose of taking the deposition of appellee *751to obtain information for use in the instant action. Her activity here is entirely in keeping with her desires to thwart a divorce. Skillful and studied effort was made to avoid an appearance in appellee’s divorce action so that the case could be tried on its merits. That is difficult to understand when there was no property involved and appellant by her own statement established that she was self-supporting and was seeking no support from ap-pellee. Other than the severance of the marital relation she made no showing of any harm, injury, or injustice occasioned her by the decree. The only explanation of her resistance to divorce was that offered by appellee to the effect that so long as appellant could remain the wife — in ab-sentia — of appellee she was entitled to certain privileges “of the Officers’ Club and the like” as the wife of a retired marine officer. If the decree were not vacated she was apt to lose those privileges. That appellant was also motivated by a vengeful purpose could be inferred from a minor but significant incident. Her only communication with appellee subsequent to 1958 was a telephone call to appellee on September 26, 1961, when, after being informed of appellee’s remarriage, she called simply to say, “Well, you have got two wives.” Little wonder that the trial court was not moved to exercise its equitable powers.
As to the matter of laches, it appears that appellant learned of the divorce and appellee’s remarriage in September 1961. She testified that she was so informed by the call from a friend in Rapid City who had seen the announcement in the newspaper. Evidence fixing the date of the call or of the newspaper was not produced. From that, and from the testimony of appellee that he returned to Rapid City with his new bride shortly after August 23, 1961, an inference could be drawn that it occurred sometime prior to September 18, 1961, the last date upon which appellant could have taken an appeal from the divorce decree. Had that been done the decree would have been set aside without question. But, assuming that she was not so informed until September 26, 1961, a ready and expedient remedy was available under the provisions of Rule 60(b), Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure. Had appellant moved promptly under the rule on the ground that the judgment was void, I have no doubt that the trial court would have vacated the decree. But that was not the theory advanced by appellant in the trial court. Appellant’s theory was that the decree was vitiated by fraud, and, of course, a motion on that score would subject appellant to the jurisdiction of the court. In re Bank of Newcastle, 15 Wyo. 501, 89 P. 1035, 1037. An expedient remedy was also available under the provisions of § 1-326, W.S. 1957, which permits the setting aside of a decree made on service by publication when notice has not been received. Here again, however, that would have required appellant to submit to the jurisdiction of the court. Another expedient remedy available to appellant was prompt trial of her own divorce case in South -Dakota. The Wyoming decree furnished no impediment to that action. A decree that is void on the face of the record is void anywhere.
Appellant did none of these things. Rather, as the trial court found, appellant sat back inexcusably for a period of almost two years and permitted the innocent second wife substantially to change her position in life. She left her home in Wisconsin and moved into the home of appellee in Rapid City. It is not unreasonable to suppose that she established herself in that community as the lawful wife of appellee. So far as the record shows the appellee for the first time since 1955 has had a home, shared with a wife who has brought him domestic tranquillity and happiness. Is that all to be destroyed simply to satisfy the vengeful purpose of appellant' to see that this did not happen? I think not. To do so is contrary to the public interest, to decency, to good morals, and to the welfare of society. Swift v. Swift, 239 Iowa 62, 29 N.W.2d 535, 539; Shammas v. Shammas, 9 N.J. 321, 88 A.2d 204, 210-211.
*752Appellant’s counsel argues here that lach-es does not apply for the reason that the action was brought within the two-year period fixed by the provisions of § 1-333, W.S. 1957. No authority is cited for that proposition and there are holdings to the contrary. Grant v. Grant, 233 S.C. 433, 105 S.E.2d 523, 527. Of course, the simple answer is that this action was not brought under any rule or statute of this State. It was an independent action governed by equitable principles.
Obviously the trial court was faced with a distasteful and difficult decision. It had in its records a void judgment, and it is the policy of the courts to purge the records of such judgments. On the other hand, to exercise such undoubted power would be a solemn declaration that the innocent second wife was nothing more than a common adulteress. I would hold not only that there was no abuse of discretion on the part of the trial court, but that it exercised its discretion wisely.
The judgment should be affirmed.