Stearns v. Stearns

LeGRAND, Justice.

This is an appeal from an order sustaining defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s petition for divorce upon a finding by the trial court that a prior divorce decree obtained by defendant in Rhode Island constituted a complete bar to plaintiff’s action here.

Plaintiff challenges the validity of the Rhode Island decree on the ground it was obtained by extrinsic fraud practiced upon both her and the Rhode Island court. She urges it is therefore not entitled to full faith and credit under Article IV, section 1 of the Constitution of the United States.

At the outset we feel…