Compton v. Compton

McFADDEN, Justice.

Plaintiff-appellant Lilian M. Compton (hereafter wife) and defendant-respondent J. Roger Compton (hereafter husband) were married on June 15,1956. In early 1974 the two were separated and in July of that year wife instituted an action for divorce. On August 19, 1974, husband not appearing, a default judgment of divorce was granted. As we indicate below, the present action does not take the form of an appeal from the entry of divorce or a motion to modify the decree: the record leaves no doubt that this action is one independent of the 1974 action for divorce.

The divorce…