Godsy v. Godsy

This is a divorce action wherein the defendant (husband) seeks to appeal from a judgment entered in favor of the plaintiff (wife).

At the very threshold of appellate review this court is faced with a primal question of profound and possibly conclusive significance. Does this court have jurisdiction to entertain the husband’s “appeal” ?

The scope of this court’s duty to inquire into and determine its jurisdiction in this case, even though none of the parties have directly questioned the matter, finds clarity of expression in Taney County v. Addington, 296 S.W.2d 129, 129[1] (Mo.App. 1956):

“Appell…