Morrill v. Tong

The defendant, Donald W. Tong, appealed to the Appeals Court from a judgment and order of the Probate and Family Court for garnishment of his Navy pension for child support. We transferred the case to this court on our own motion. The appeal presents the questions whether the Probate Court erred in asserting personal jurisdiction over the defendant, a resident of Spain, and whether the court’s exercise of quasi-in-rem jurisdiction to reach the defendant’s military pension was impermissible. We reverse the judgment of the Probate Court.

The facts are not disputed by the parties. The defendant…