M.E. v. N.P.S.

WHATLEY, Acting Chief Judge.

The natural mother, M.E., appeals the order denying her motion to set aside the final judgment of adoption of her natural child by the adoptive mother, N.P.S.1 We vacate the judgment because service of process by publication was improper, and therefore, the trial court was without authority to enter the judgment.

In her motion to set aside the final judgment of adoption, the natural mother asserted that she never received notice of the adoption proceedings.2 The adoptive mother served process by publication in The Polk County Democrat, a newspaper published twice a…