Office of Child Support Enforcement v. Ragland

Annabelle Clinton Imber, Justice.

At issue in this case is whether service of process under Ark. R. Civ. P. 4 is necessary to obtain a valid default judgment against an obligor for child-support arrearages. The trial court held that the service on the obligor was defective and set aside a default judgment obtained against him. We reverse and hold that personal service of process under Rule 4 was not necessary because the chancery court had continuing personal jurisdiction over the obligor and the obligee asserted no new or additional claims for relief.

Sara Jane Ragland and Jimmy Clyde Ragland…