A problem sometimes faced by individuals in Georgia embroiled in either a divorce or a custody dispute with a spouse out of the state or country is how best to serve notice on the opposing party.The spouse's whereabouts may be unknown, in which case simply hiring a process server won't do the trick. However, in order to satisfy the due process clause of the United States Constitution, it is necessary for all parties to be given notice of a proceeding. For persons residing out of state, notice must be given in a manner calculated to give actual notice pursuant to either the laws of the state where service is to occur or the state where the proceeding is to occur.
One way of reaching those who either can't or don't want to be found is to make use of service by publication. According to O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(f)(1)(A), personal service must be attempted before service by publication is proper. The Court in Gaddis v. Dyer Lumber Co., 168 Ga.App. 334, 335 (1983), stated "In order to justify service by publication where the address of the defendant is known, or believed to be known, generally it must be shown that service was attempted unsuccessfully at the defendant's last known address and that personal service was proven impossible."
The Court in Abba Gana v. Abba Gana, 251 Ga. 340, 343 (1983), noted that because notice by publication is a notoriously unreliable means of actually informing interested parties about pending suits, the constitutional prerequisite for allowing such service when the addresses of those parties are unknown is a showing that reasonable diligence has been exercised in attempting to ascertain their whereabouts.
However, if the address of an opposing party is known, then according to O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(f)(1)(A), the Petitioner must supply the exact address of the nonresident to the Clerk. If the Petitioner knows the address of the defendant but does not furnish it to the Clerk of Court for purposes of mailing the notice, the judgment could then be set aside for fraud. Stiles v. Stiles, 183 Ga. 199, 205 (1936).
If you are facing similar issues involving service on an out-of-state spouse, please contact one of our skilled Atlanta Divorce attorneys.
By Connor Alexander, Law Clerk, Meriwether & Tharp, LLC