JONES v. MITCHELL, et al.

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NOTICE: THIS DECISION DOES NOT CREATE LEGAL PRECEDENT AND MAY NOT BE CITED EXCEPT AS AUTHORIZED BY APPLICABLE RULES. See Ariz. R. Supreme Court 111(c); ARCAP 28(c); Ariz. R. Crim. P. 31.24 IN THE COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF ARIZONA DIVISION ONE RUSSELL JONES, ) ) Plaintiff/Appellee,) ) v. ) ) DARIN MITCHELL; KEN BENNETT, in ) his official capacity as Arizona ) Secretary of State; HELEN ) PURCELL, in her official ) capacity as Recorder for ) Maricopa County; FULTON BROCK, ) ANDREW KUNASEK, DONALD T. ) STAPLEY, JR., MARY ROSE WILCOX, ) MAX WILSON, in their official ) capacities as members of the ) Board of Supervisors for ) Maricopa County; ROBYN POUQUETTE,) in her official capacity as ) Recorder for Yuma County; LENORE ) LORONA, RUSSELL MCCLOUD, KATHRYN ) PROCHASKA, MARCO A. REYES, ) GREGORY S. FERGUSON, in their ) official capacity as members of ) the Board of Supervisors for ) Yuma County, ) ) Defendants/Appellants.) _________________________________) DIVISION ONE FILED: 10/23/2012 RUTH A. WILLINGHAM, CLERK BY: sls No. 1 CA-CV 12-0627 EL DEPARTMENT A MEMORANDUM DECISION Not for Publication (Rule 28, Arizona Rules of Civil Appellate Procedure Appeal from the Superior Court in Maricopa County Cause No. CV 2012-095855 The Honorable Robert H. Oberbillig, Judge VACATED Law Office of Thomas M. Ryan By Thomas M. Ryan Attorney for Appellee Russell Jones Chandler Tiffany & Bosco, P.A. By William M. Fischbach, III Timothy A. La Sota Attorneys for Appellant Darin Mitchell Phoenix William G. Montgomery, Maricopa County Attorney Phoenix By M. Colleen Conner Benjamin Gross Attorneys for Appellants Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell Thomas C. Horne, Attorney General By Michele L. Forney, Assistant Attorney General Attorneys for Secretary of State Bennett Phoenix G E M M I L L, Judge ¶1 Defendant/Appellant Darin Mitchell appeals the superior court s judgment in favor of Plaintiff/Appellee Russell Jones. The superior court found Mitchell was ineligible for consideration as the District 13 State Representative on the November general election ballot due to his failure to satisfy the residency requirement under Arizona law. Because Mitchell was not properly served with the summons and complaint in this case, we conclude that the superior court lacked personal jurisdiction over Mitchell and we therefore vacate its judgment. ¶2 In the Republican primary election held on August 28, 2012, Mitchell was elected to be placed on the general election ballot as a Legislative District 13 candidate for the Arizona 2 House of Representatives. complaint alleging On September 7, 2012, Jones filed a Mitchell was not eligible to represent Legislative District 13 because he did not reside within the District. The complaint was amended on September 11, 2012. Also on September 11, 2012, Jones served the summons and amended complaint on Jim Drake, a person authorized to accept and receive service of process on behalf of the Arizona Secretary of State. The summons noted that the entity to be served was Darin Mitchell, c/o Ken Bennett, Secretary of State. same day, attorney the by Attorney email and General s office phone the of notified documents That Mitchell s served and forwarded copies to the attorney. ¶3 Prior to the hearing scheduled on September 13, 2012, Mitchell filed a motion to dismiss asserting he had not been legally served. At the beginning of the hearing on September 13, Mitchell s motion to dismiss was denied. On September 17, 2012, the superior court ruled in favor of Jones and issued an injunction preventing Mitchell s name from appearing on the general election ballot. ¶4 Mitchell appealed and sought a stay from this court. After a telephonic stay hearing on September 18, 2012, we issued a stay of the superior court s injunction. proceeded as jurisdiction an under accelerated Article election 6, 3 Section This appeal has appeal. 9, of We the have Arizona Constitution and Arizona Revised Statutes ( A.R.S. ) sections 12-120.21(A)(1) (2003) and 12-2101(A)(1) (2011). ¶5 Proper service of process is essential for the court to have jurisdiction over the defendant. Koven v. Saberdyne Sys., Inc., 128 Ariz. 318, 321, 625 P.2d 907, 910 (App. 1980). Consequently, a judgment would be void and subject to attack if the court that rendered it was without jurisdiction because of lack of proper service. Id.; see also Kadota v. Hosogai, 125 Ariz. 131, 134, 608 P.2d 68, 71 (App. 1980) ( [T]he law is clear that a judgment is void if the trial court did not jurisdiction because of a lack of proper service. ). the court has personal jurisdiction over question of law that we review de novo. the have Whether defendant is a Bohreer v. Erie Ins. Exch., 216 Ariz. 208, 211, ¶ 7, 165 P.3d 186, 189 (App. 2007). ¶6 Mitchell contends properly effectuated September 13, 2012. that prior to service the of superior process court was hearing not on Because the issue of personal jurisdiction is determinative of this appeal, we limit our analysis to this issue. ¶7 Jones prepared a summons for Mitchell and served the summons and Service of amended process complaint on the upon Secretary the of Secretary State, ineffective to accomplish service on Mitchell. 16-351(D) (2011), service of process 4 may be of State. however, was Under A.R.S. § served upon the Secretary of State as the candidate s nomination petition challenges. statutory agent for The challenge here, however, does not involve a nomination petition, but instead challenges the results of the primary election on the basis that Mitchell was not a resident of the Legislative District. On appeal, Jones acknowledges that service of process on the Secretary of State was not sufficient. ¶8 In an election contest such as this, the challenger (Jones) must serve the contestee (Mitchell) in accordance with applicable statutes and rules. See A.R.S. § 16-675(A) (2006) ( Upon filing of the statement of contest, the clerk of the superior court shall issue a summons to be served on the contestee as summons in civil actions are served ); Ariz. R. Civ. P. 4.1(d). 1 1 Jones concedes that the language of A.R.S. § Rule 4.1(d) states: Service of Summons Upon Individuals. Service upon an individual from whom a waiver has not been obtained and filed, other than those specified in paragraphs (e), (f) and (g) of this Rule 4.1, shall be effected by delivering a copy of the summons and of the pleading to that individual personally or by leaving copies thereof at that individual's dwelling house or usual place of abode with some person of suitable age and discretion then residing therein or by delivering a copy of the summons and of the pleading to an agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive service of process. 5 16-675(A) refers to personal service within the meaning of Rule 4.1(d). Because Mitchell was not personally served with the summons and amended complaint, the superior court did not obtain personal jurisdiction over Mitchell unless he has, by his subsequent conduct, waived his objection. ¶9 Although lawsuit, such Mitchell knowledge received is insufficient requirement of personal service. 154 Ariz. 40, 42, 739 P.2d actual notice to of Jones s satisfy the See Melton v. Superior Court, 1357, 1359 (App. 1987) (holding actual notice resulting from delivery of summons and complaint to defendant s employer and then to defendant did not constitute valid service of process); Smith v. Smith, 117 Ariz. 249, 252, 571 P.2d 1045, 1048 (App. 1977) (explaining that a defendant s knowledge of a pending defect in service ). lawsuit will not operate to cure a We would be abandoning the rule of law if we held that actual notice, by itself, substituted for proper service of process. ¶10 Jones argues, however, that Mitchell submitted to the jurisdiction of the court jurisdiction objection. and thereby waived his personal Although a party may waive personal jurisdiction objections by making an appearance in court without asserting the absence of personal jurisdiction, we conclude that Mitchell s actions in this proceeding waiver. 6 did not constitute a ¶11 A general appearance by a party who has not been properly served has exactly the same effect as a proper, timely and valid service of process. Hosp., Inc., 119 Ariz. 448, Montano v. Scottsdale Baptist 452, 581 P.2d 682, 686 (1978). Mitchell initially appeared by filing a motion to dismiss prior to the motion superior court hearing simultaneously on September challenged the 13, 2012. superior This court s jurisdiction for lack of personal service and the application of the contest statutes to an election of legislators. The motion also sought, in the alternative, a postponement of the hearing. Mitchell s motion to dismiss was considered and denied by the court at the beginning of the September 13, 2012 hearing. ¶12 When a defendant initially asserts a jurisdictional defense and seeks a dismissal that is denied by the superior court, that defendant has not waived his jurisdictional defense even though he then proceeds to trial on the merits and judgment is entered against him. Ariz. Real Estate Inv., Inc. v. Schrader, 226 Ariz. 128, 129-130, ¶ 7, 244 P.3d 565, 566-67 (App. 2010); see also Desarrollo Immobiliario y Negocios Industriales De Alta Tecnologia De Hermosillo, S.A. De C.V. v. Kader Holdings Co., ___ Ariz. ___, ___, ¶ 10, 276 P.3d 1, 4 n.4 (App. 2012) (finding personal jurisdiction defense not waived when filing of cross-claim and counterclaim occurred after court s ruling on jurisdictional issue); Nat l Homes Corp. v. 7 Totem Mobile Home Sales, Inc., 140 Ariz. 434, 437, 682 P.2d 439, 442 (App. 1984) ( [A] defendant who has obtained an adverse ruling on its jurisdictional defense has not waived that defense on appeal even though he proceeds to trial on the merits and a judgment has been entered against him. ). Because Mitchell asserted from the beginning that he had not been properly and personally served, he did not waive his personal jurisdiction objection. ¶13 Jones cites State ex rel. Dep t of Econ. Sec. v. Burton, 205 Ariz. 27, 29, 66 P.3d 70, 72 (App 2003), Tarr v. Superior Court, 142 Ariz. 349, 351, 690 P.2d 68, 70 (1984), and Austin v. State ex rel. Herman, 10 Ariz. App. 474, 477, 459 P.2d 753, 756 (1969) in support of the proposition that any action on the part of a party except to object to personal jurisdiction that recognizes the case as in court constitutes a general appearance and a submission to the court s jurisdiction. proposition and these cases are distinguishable. This Tarr and Austin address what constitutes an appearance in the context of the requirement for a default judgment under Rule 55(b). Tarr, 142 Ariz. at 350, 690 P.2d at 69; Austin, 10 Ariz. App. at 475, 459 P.2d at 754. under which absence of personal jurisdiction was not presented in Tarr or Austin. In Burton, a which party The issue before us the circumstances waives addresses his objection jurisdiction 8 to under the the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, the defendant initially requested a modification of his child support asserting a jurisdictional objection. ¶¶ 2-3, 66 P.3d at 71. obligations without Burton, 205 Ariz. at 28, Only after wife sought unpaid arrearages did husband raise a personal jurisdiction defense. Id. In contrast, Mitchell objected to the lack of personal service at his first appearance, thereby preserving his jurisdictional defense. ¶14 present Jones his further argues objection to that lack the Mitchell of argument in his motion to dismiss. was service We disagree. required as the to sole Arizona Rule of Civil Procedure 12 and the pertinent case law mandate the opposite conclusion. Court, 65 Ariz. See D. W. Onan & Sons, Inc. v. Superior 255, 259, 179 P.2d 243, 245-46 (1947) (explaining that an objection to personal jurisdiction is not waived simply because it is asserted along with other objections or defenses). ¶15 The Arizona Supreme Court long ago explained importance of jurisdictional notice: This Court has held that, where a jurisdictional notice is required to be given in a certain manner, any means other than that prescribed is ineffective. This is so even though the intended recipient of that notice does in fact acquire the knowledge contemplated by the law. Such a rule is no mere legal technicality ; rather it is a fundamental safeguard assuring each 9 the citizen that he will be afforded due of law. Nor may the requirement be merely because of a showing that complaining parties did have actual of the proceeding. process relaxed certain notice Hart v. Bayless Inv. & Trading Co., 86 Ariz. 379, 388, 346 P.2d 1101, 1108 (1959) (citation omitted). 2 Our supreme court has also emphasized that election contestants must strictly comply with applicable statutory requirements. Donaghey v. Attorney Gen., 120 Ariz. 93, 95, 584 P.2d 557, 559 (1978). Applying these principles from Hart and Donaghey, we conclude that the lack of personal service of process on Mitchell prevented the superior court from exercising personal jurisdiction over Mitchell. ¶16 To summarize, Jones did not personally serve Mitchell. Mitchell moved to dismiss on the basis of lack of service of process. The court denied his motion to dismiss. By then participating in the hearing before the superior court, Mitchell did not waive jurisdiction. the defect his objection to the absence of personal If a defendant has not been properly served, and in service has not been waived, judgment is void and must be vacated on request. any resulting Arizona Real Estate, 226 Ariz. at 129, ¶ 6, 244 P.3d at 566 (citing Hilgeman 2 Although our supreme court s statements in Hart addressed a different category of jurisdictional notice requirements, the same principles apply here. See Smith, 117 Ariz. at 252, 571 P.2d at 1048 (applying the above principles from Hart to service of process). 10 v. Am. Mortg. Sec., Inc., 196 Ariz. 215, 220, ¶ 14, 994 P.2d 1030, 1035 (App. 2000)). Because the superior court did not have personal jurisdiction over Mitchell, we vacate the judgment of the superior court entered in favor of Jones. /s/ _________________________________ JOHN C. GEMMILL Presiding Judge CONCURRING: /s/ _________________________________ MARGARET H. DOWNIE, Judge /s/ _________________________________ LAWRENCE F. WINTHROP, Chief Judge 11

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