Gaboury v. Gaboury
Superior Court of Pennsylvania
988 A.2d 672 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2009)
Lisa Gaboury (plaintiff) and Christopher Gaboury (defendant) married in Pennsylvania after meeting online, rented housing there for 32 months, then moved to Wisconsin, where they separated a year later; Lisa moved back to Pennsylvania while Christopher stayed in Wisconsin, where all their marital assets were located and where they had no children. Lisa filed for divorce in Pennsylvania, including economic claims for alimony and equitable distribution; the trial court granted the divorce but dismissed the economic claims for lack of personal jurisdiction over Christopher, and Lisa appealed.
Whether a court with subject-matter jurisdiction over a divorce may adjudicate the parties' related economic claims without also having personal jurisdiction over the non-resident spouse.