In re the Dissolution of the Marriage of Bryan

The issue in this marriage dissolution case is whether the trial court had personal jurisdiction over the husband, a domiciliary of Washington state, and could therefore order him to pay child support.

The parties were married in 1969 and have two children. In 1973 the wife, with her two sons, left the family home in Tacoma, Washington, and moved to her parents’ home in Portland. She petitioned for dissolution of marriage two-and-a-half years later on January 5, 1976. The husband was personally served with process in Washington but he made no appearance in the suit. Following an ex parte…