In Re the Marriage of Aron

This appeal from an order reducing child support raises related jurisdictional questions concerning whether the superior court could (1) modify a foreign child support order where the obligee sought enforcement in California under the RURESA registration procedures and (2) exercise personal jurisdiction over the obligee in the modification proceeding on the basis of her enforcement action. We conclude there were no jurisdictional impediments and affirm.

I. Background

The facts are not disputed. At all relevant times appellant Linda Aron Schmitt lived in Texas and respondent Allen Jerome Aron lived in Marin County, California. Schmitt and Aron divorced in Texas in 1984. The Dallas County District Court awarded Schmitt custody of the couple’s son and ordered Aron to pay $800/month in child support, later reducing the obligation to $550/month.

Schmitt registered the Texas support order in Marin County on August 19, 1988. The following February she filed in the Marin County Superior Court (1) an application for issuance of writ of execution and (2) a declaration under penalty of perjury concerning the amount of accumulated arrears and interest due as of July 1988. The…