Helmers v. Sortino

MESCHKE, Justice.

Anthony Dale Sortino appealed from a partial default judgment and the denial of his motion to vacate the partial default judgment establishing an Alaska divorce decree and transferring custody of his eight-year-old son to his former spouse, Sara Jean Helmers. We reverse the transfer of custody and remand for dismissal for lack of personal jurisdiction over Sortino.

Helmers and Sortino were married in North Dakota in 1986. They lived in Alaska, where Sortino was stationed while in the military. Helmers moved to North Dakota in September 1993, when she and Sortino separated.…