In the Matter of Marriage of Veronica Gonzalez San Emeterio and Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez v. the State of Texas
Docket 13-24-00255-CV
Court of record · Indexed in NoticeRegistry archive · AI-enriched for research
- Filed
- Jurisdiction
- Texas
- Court
- Texas Court of Appeals, 13th District
- Type
- Lead Opinion
- Case type
- Family
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Docket
- 13-24-00255-CV
Appeal from trial court order granting plea to the jurisdiction and dismissing a Texas divorce action after recognition of a foreign (Mexican) divorce decree
Summary
The court affirmed the trial court’s dismissal of a Texas divorce suit after the trial court recognized a prior Mexican divorce decree. The ex-husband filed the Mexican no-fault divorce and later presented the Mexican trial and appellate judgments in Texas, arguing the Texas court lacked subject-matter jurisdiction because the parties were no longer married. The Texas appellate court held the trial court did not abuse its discretion in giving comity to the Mexican judgment, concluding the Mexican appellate court’s affirmation meant no valid marriage existed for a Texas court to dissolve, so dismissal was proper.
Issues Decided
- Whether a Texas trial court may recognize and give comity to a foreign (Mexican) divorce judgment and dismiss a subsequently filed Texas divorce for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.
- Whether a party seeking recognition of a foreign divorce judgment must raise that judgment as an affirmative defense (res judicata) or may seek dismissal via a plea to the jurisdiction.
- Whether the notice and procedural requirements of Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 308b defeat recognition of the foreign judgment when not strictly complied with.
- Whether recognition of the Mexican divorce judgment violated the appellant’s due process rights because of asserted defects in service.
Court's Reasoning
Texas courts treat the existence of a valid prior divorce as a jurisdictional fact: a court cannot dissolve a marriage that has already been legally dissolved. Recognition of a foreign divorce judgment is a discretionary comity determination, but a court must refuse recognition if enforcement would violate due process. Here the Texas court found the Mexican appellate court had affirmed the divorce and that the foreign judgment did not present a due process or fraud problem sufficient to deny comity. The appellate court found the trial court did not abuse its discretion in recognizing the Mexican judgment and dismissing the Texas suit.
Authorities Cited
- Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 308bTEX. R. CIV. P. 308b
- Fuentes v. Zaragoza555 S.W.3d 141 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2018)
- Ashfaq v. Ashfaq467 S.W.3d 539 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2015)
Parties
- Appellant
- Veronica Gonzalez San Emeterio (Ex-Wife)
- Appellee
- Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez (Ex-Husband)
- Judge
- Justice Jon West
- Judge
- Chief Justice Tijerina
- Judge
- Justice Peña
Key Dates
- Mexican petition filed
- 2020-12-07
- Texas divorce petition filed by Ex-Wife
- 2021-05-25
- Mexican divorce judgment
- 2022-02-23
- Mexican appellate affirmance
- 2023-08-18
- Plea to the jurisdiction / notice of non-suit filed in Texas
- 2023-10-13
- Hearing on motions
- 2024-03-06
- Court of Appeals decision
- 2026-04-09
What You Should Do Next
- 1
Consult family law counsel
The affected party should consult an attorney experienced in international family law to evaluate further appellate options or consequences for property and related relief.
- 2
Consider filing for further review
If the appellant wishes to continue, she should discuss with counsel whether to petition the Texas Supreme Court for review and prepare any necessary filings within appellate deadlines.
- 3
Evaluate relief in appropriate forum
Parties should identify and pursue any unresolved property, support, or ancillary claims in the appropriate jurisdiction (Texas or Mexico) as indicated by the Mexican judgment and applicable law.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What did the court decide?
- The court affirmed dismissal of the Texas divorce because it recognized a prior Mexican divorce judgment and found no abuse of discretion in giving that judgment comity.
- Who is affected by this decision?
- The parties to the marriage: the ex-husband was permitted to rely on the Mexican divorce, and the ex-wife cannot obtain a Texas divorce while the foreign decree stands.
- Why did the Texas court dismiss the case?
- Because a valid prior divorce in another jurisdiction means a Texas court lacks subject-matter jurisdiction to dissolve the same marriage again, and the court concluded the Mexican judgment merited comity.
- Does this mean foreign divorces are always recognized in Texas?
- No. Texas courts have discretion to refuse recognition if enforcing the foreign judgment would violate due process or public policy, but here the trial court found no such violation.
- Can this decision be appealed further?
- The losing party may seek further review (for example, by the Texas Supreme Court) subject to the usual appellate deadlines and standards, if she chooses to pursue it.
The above suggestions and answers are AI-generated for informational purposes only. They may contain errors. NoticeRegistry assumes no responsibility for their accuracy. Consult a qualified attorney before relying on them.
Full Filing Text
NUMBER 13-24-00255-CV
COURT OF APPEALS
THIRTEENTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS
CORPUS CHRISTI – EDINBURG
IN THE MATTER OF MARRIAGE OF VERONICA GONZALEZ SAN
EMETERIO AND RODRIGO GARCIA GONZALEZ
ON APPEAL FROM THE 467TH DISTRICT COURT
OF DENTON COUNTY, TEXAS
MEMORANDUM OPINION
Before Chief Justice Tijerina and Justices Peña and West
Memorandum Opinion by Justice West
Appellant Veronica Gonzalez San Emeterio (Ex-Wife) challenges the trial court’s
order granting appellee Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez’s (Ex-Husband) plea to the jurisdiction
and dismissing the case. In the order, the trial court recognized the couple’s divorce
decree rendered in Mexico and concluded that it lacked subject matter jurisdiction over
the underlying divorce proceeding because the parties were no longer married. Ex-Wife
argues by four issues, which we reorder, that the trial court erred when it concluded that
it did not have subject matter jurisdiction because (1) Ex-Husband’s plea to the jurisdiction
was improperly pleaded, and instead, he was required to raise the issue as an affirmative
defense of res judicata, (2) “whether the spouses were no longer married was not a factual
or legal issue outside the scope of the [trial court]’s subject matter jurisdiction,” (3) Ex-
Husband failed to comply with the notice requirements of Texas Rule of Civil Procedure
308b, and (4) the Mexican divorce judgment violated her due process rights. Because we
conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it recognized the Mexican
divorce judgment, we affirm.
I. BACKGROUND 1
The parties were married in Mexico on August 5, 1989, and later moved to Texas.
On December 7, 2020, Ex-Husband filed a no-fault divorce petition in Family Court 1,
Cholula, Puebla, Mexico. On May 25, 2021, Ex-Wife filed the underlying divorce suit. On
January 3, 2022, Ex-Husband filed an answer and a counter petition for divorce. 2 Both
parties alleged they had been domiciled in Texas for the preceding six-month period and
were residents of Denton County for the preceding ninety days. Both parties sought a
disproportionate share of the parties’ estate. Neither petition mentioned the concurrent
divorce proceeding in Mexico.
The Mexican family court granted Ex-Husband’s no-fault divorce petition on
February 23, 2022. 3 Ex-Wife, acting pro se, timely appealed the divorce judgment. Ex-
Wife alleged that she was not properly served and requested that the divorce be voided.
1 This case is before this Court on transfer from the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth pursuant
to a docket-equalization order issued by the Supreme Court of Texas. See TEX. GOV’T CODE § 73.001.
2 In his counter petition, Ex-Husband also asserted a third-party action against Laser Beam
Logistics, LLC.
3 The Mexican court documents were translated into English and copies of both the Spanish and
English versions were attached to Ex-Husband’s plea to the jurisdiction. We derive the facts of the Mexican
divorce proceedings from these documents.
2
On August 18, 2023, the Mexican appellate court affirmed the divorce judgment. The
appellate court found that Ex-Wife’s “fundamental right to a hearing . . . was violated”
because service of process was defective. Specifically, the process server’s return stated
that Ex-Wife “was served and summonsed with non-certified copies of the complaint” and
ninety-six pages of documents, but the record indicated that she was served with the
complaint and only forty-six pages of attached documents. However, because under
Mexican law “the will of only one of the spouses is sufficient for the court to declare the
dissolution of the marriage” in a no-fault divorce proceeding, the Mexican appellate court
held that Ex-Husband was entitled to the divorce, and the divorce judgment could not be
voided. It also concluded that the divorce judgment left the parties’ other “rights intact” so
that “they may assert [the rights] through the respective auxiliary proceedings.”
On October 13, 2023, Ex-Husband filed a notice of non-suit and plea to the
jurisdiction and motion to dismiss the underlying suit. Ex-Husband alleged that the parties
were divorced in Mexico, and, therefore, the trial court lacked subject matter jurisdiction
over the proceedings because the parties were not currently married. 4 Attached to the
motion were the Mexican divorce judgment and appellate court opinion.
Ex-Wife filed a response. Pertinent here, she argued that the trial court was not
obligated to give “full faith and credit” to the Mexican divorce judgment because “[t]he
validity of the Mexican [j]udgment [wa]s disputed.” She also argued that Ex-Husband had
to raise the Mexican divorce judgment as an affirmative defense of res judicata, and
4 Prior to Ex-Husband’s plea, the only other time the Mexican divorce proceedings were referenced
was in Ex-Husband’s “Response to Motion to Appoint Receiver” filed on January 3, 2023. Ex-Husband
opposed the appointment of a receiver for the couple’s company, HolBox, LLC, in part because “[Ex-Wife]
and [Ex-Husband] are parties to a divorce proceeding in Mexico, which divorce proceeding was filed prior
to this suit, and is still pending.”
3
because he had not, he waived the issue. She further argued that Ex-Husband waived
the issue because under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 308b, he could only seek
enforcement of the Mexican divorce within “60 days of filing an original pleading.” See
TEX. R. CIV. P. 308b(d)(1) (“Within 60 days of filing an original pleading, the party seeking
enforcement [of a foreign judgment in certain suits under the family code] must give
written notice to the court and all parties that describes the court’s authority to enforce or
decide to enforce the [foreign] judgment or award.”).
The trial court held a hearing on the motions on March 6, 2024. Ex-Husband
argued that the trial court should recognize the Mexican divorce judgment because Ex-
Wife did not argue that she was not served but merely appealed “a deficiency in the
number of pages she was served with.” Ex-Husband also stated:
[Ex-Wife] goes on to state that, well, in Texas, though, one cannot get a
divorce without including property. That’s true in Texas. Not necessarily true
everywhere else. . . . We’re simply here on a petition for divorce where a
divorce has already been granted [and no property decree]. And because
of that divorce having been granted, because of it having gone up on appeal
in that jurisdiction and being affirmed, we’re simply asking the Court to
recognize that this Court does not have jurisdiction to grant a divorce and,
since that is the only pleading on file, to dismiss this case.
Ex-Husband also contended that Rule 308b was inapplicable:
308b, Your Honor, is an enforcement rule by nature. It’s—it’s not what we’re
seeking. No one has any pleadings on file seeking to enforce a judgment.
We’re simply saying, Your Honor, there is a valid judgment that was
rendered elsewhere; therefore, there is no jurisdiction for this Court to grant
a divorce. Therefore, since that is the only requested relief, the case should
be dismissed.
The trial court granted Ex-Husband’s plea to the jurisdiction and dismissed the
case. In the order, the trial court found that the parties were divorced in Mexico on
4
February 23, 2022, and the judgment of the Mexican appellate court “unanimously”
affirmed the divorce. The trial court concluded:
1. No marriage existed at the time [Ex-Wife] filed her Original Petition
for Divorce, or currently exists.
2. This Court does not have subject-matter jurisdiction over this Family
Code Chapter 6 suit for dissolution of marriage in light of the prior
Mexican Family Court 1’s Judg[]ment of Divorce.
3. The Mexican Appellate Court’s decision affirming the dissolution of
marriage of the parties is deserving of respect and comity in this
case.[5]
This appeal ensued.
II. STANDARD OF REVIEW
“A plea to the jurisdiction is a dilatory plea, the purpose of which is to defeat a
cause of action without regard to whether the claims asserted have merit.” Bland Indep.
Sch. Dist. v. Blue, 34 S.W.3d 547, 554 (Tex. 2000). The plea challenges the trial court’s
subject matter jurisdiction over a pleaded cause of action. Tex. Dep’t of Parks & Wildlife
v. Miranda, 133 S.W.3d 217, 226 (Tex. 2004). We review a trial court’s ruling on a plea
to the jurisdiction de novo. Id.
“A valid marriage must exist for a trial court to have subject-matter jurisdiction over
a suit for the spouses’ divorce.” Fuentes v. Zaragoza, 555 S.W.3d 141, 153 (Tex. App.—
Houston [1st Dist.] 2018, no pet.) (citing Gray v. Gray, 354 S.W.2d 948, 949 (Tex. App.—
Houston 1962, writ dism’d)). “If a marriage previously was legally dissolved, then the court
lacks subject-matter jurisdiction to again dissolve that marriage.” Id. at 153–54 (string
5 A fourth conclusion was stricken out: “The courts of Mexico provide due process to litigants and
Petitioner’s due process rights were observed in the multiple Mexican court proceedings regarding the
dissolution of the marriage.”
5
citing cases in which a suit for divorce was dismissed for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction
because the parties were no longer married).
“Comity is a principle under which the courts of one state give effect to the laws of
another state or extend immunity to a sister sovereign not as a rule of law, but rather out
of deference or respect.” Hawsey v. La. Dep’t of Soc. Servs., 934 S.W.2d 723, 726 (Tex.
App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1996, writ denied); see TEX. R. CIV. P. 308b(a)(1) (“Comity
means the recognition by a court of one jurisdiction of the laws and judicial decisions of
another jurisdiction.”); K.D.F. v. Rex, 878 S.W.2d 589, 593 (Tex. 1994) (orig. proceeding).
“States, however, are not required to give full faith and credit to foreign country judgments;
dismissal based on comity is a matter of discretion.” Azhar v. Choudhri, No. 01-20-00169-
CV, 2023 WL 5615810, at *9 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Aug. 31, 2023, pet. denied)
(mem. op.) (citations omitted); see Griffith v. Griffith, 341 S.W.3d 43, 54 (Tex. App.—San
Antonio 2011, no pet.) (“Being voluntary and not obligatory, the application of comity vests
in the sound discretion of the tribunal of the forum.” (quoting Nowell v. Nowell, 408 S.W.2d
550, 553 (Tex. App.—Dallas 1966, writ dism’d)). “Because courts have discretion over
whether to dismiss or abate a case on the basis of comity, we review whether the trial
court should have deferred to the Mexican courts for an abuse of discretion.” Fuentes,
555 S.W.3d at 160.
“Recognition of a foreign judgment in the absence of due process constitutes an
abuse of discretion.” Ashfaq v. Ashfaq, 467 S.W.3d 539, 541 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st
Dist.] 2015, no pet.); In re the Marriage of Sabir, No. 05-23-00837-CV, 2024 WL 3507200,
at *2 (Tex. App.—Dallas July 23, 2024, no pet.) (mem. op.). “[D]ue process requires that
no other jurisdiction shall give effect, even as a matter of comity, to a judgment elsewhere
6
acquired without due process.” Ashfaq, 467 S.W.3d at 541 (quoting Griffin v. Griffin, 327
U.S. 220, 228 (1946)). “Due process at a minimum requires notice and an opportunity to
be heard at a meaningful time and in a meaningful manner.” Mosley v. Tex. Health &
Hum. Servs. Comm’n, 593 S.W.3d 250, 265 (Tex. 2019).
III. APPLICABLE LAW
Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 308b “applies to the recognition or enforcement of
a judgment or arbitration award based on foreign law in a suit involving a marriage
relationship or a parent-child relationship under the Family Code.” TEX. R. CIV. P.
308b(b)(1). The statute provides various notice and hearing requirements. “Within 60
days of filing an original pleading, the party seeking enforcement [of the foreign judgment]
must give written notice to the court and all parties that describes the court’s authority to
enforce or decide to enforce the [foreign] judgment or award.” Id. R. 308b(d)(1). The party
opposing enforcement of the foreign judgment must, “[w]ithin 30 days of the date that a
notice under [(d)](1) is served,” give the court and all parties a written response explaining
the basis for party’s opposition and stating “whether the party asserts that the judgment
or award violates constitutional rights or public policy.” Id. R. 308b(d)(2). “Within 75 days
of the date that a notice under (d)(1) is served, the court must hold a pretrial conference
to set deadlines and make other orders regarding: (1) the submission of materials for the
court to consider in determining foreign law, (2) the translation of foreign-language
documents, and (3) the designation of expert witnesses.” Id. R. 308b(e). The court must
then “conduct a hearing on the record to determine whether to enforce the judgment or
award” and issue a written order on the determination that includes findings of fact and
conclusions of law. Id. R. 308b(f)(1)–(2). The court may issue any order necessary to
7
preserve the principles of comity while protecting against violations of constitutional rights
and public policy. Id. R. 308b(f)(3). In keeping with these requirements, the court must
independently determine whether to enforce the judgment even if no party opposes
enforcement. Id. R. 308b(f)(4).
IV. DISCUSSION
By four issues, Ex-Wife argues that the trial court erred when it granted comity to
the Mexican divorce judgment and subsequently concluded that it lacked subject-matter
jurisdiction over the underlying divorce suit. We address each argument in turn.
A. Res Judicata or Subject-Matter Jurisdiction
By her first issue, Ex-Wife argues that the trial court erred because it “could not
use the [Mexican divorce] [j]udgment as a jurisdictional basis for lack of subject[-]matter
jurisdiction and dismissal of the case.” She contends that Ex-Husband was required to
raise the existence of the Mexican divorce certificate as an affirmative defense of res
judicata, and because he failed to do so, he waived his right to enforce the Mexican
divorce judgment.
Ex-Wife relies on Estate of Riefler for authority. No. 02-19-00189-CV, 2020 WL
7063486 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth Dec. 3, 2020, no pet.) (mem. op.). Riefler involved an
action for attorney’s fees arising out of an earlier dispute in a probate case. Id. at *1. The
appellant argued that the county court at law in the underlying suit lacked jurisdiction to
grant the appellee’s requested attorney’s fees because the judgment in the earlier probate
litigation “lacked any mention of attorney’s fees.” See id. at *4. The Forth Worth court of
appeals rejected the appellant’s argument because the appellant had attempted to
reframe his argument “as a question of jurisdiction,” yet his issue was that of res judicata
8
or collateral estoppel. Id. Res judicata is an affirmative defense that must be expressly
pleaded, or it is waived on appeal. Id. The court concluded that because the appellant
“did not properly plead res judicata or collateral estoppel” at the trial level, he waived the
issue on appeal. Id. at *4–5.
Riefler is distinguishable from this case because it is not a divorce case, and it
does not involve a court’s authority to recognize a foreign judgment as a matter of comity.
See id. We find no authority that a party seeking to enforce a foreign divorce judgment
must raise it as an affirmative defense or else the issue is waived. In fact, Texas courts
have consistently treated the issue of whether to recognize a foreign divorce judgment as
matter of comity as a jurisdictional issue. See Fuentes, 555 S.W.3d at 153 (“A valid
marriage must exist for a trial court to have subject-matter jurisdiction over a suit for the
spouses’ divorce.”); Ashfaq, 467 S.W.3d at 544 (holding that the trial court did not abuse
its discretion in granting comity to the foreign divorce decree and dismissing the petition
for divorce for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction); Azhar, 2023 WL 5615810, at *11
(same); Nikolenko v. Nikolenko, No. 01-20-00284-CV, 2022 WL 479988, at *7 (Tex.
App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Feb. 17, 2022, pet. denied) (mem. op.) (holding that the trial
court did not abuse its discretion in denying comity to the foreign divorce decree, and
holding that the trial court had subject-matter jurisdiction); Duruji v. Duruji, No. 14-05-
01185-CV, 2007 WL 582282, at *4–5 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Feb. 27, 2007, no
pet.) (mem. op.) (same). Accordingly, we overrule Ex-Wife’s first issue.
Relatedly, by her second issue, Ex-Wife argues that the trial court erred when it
concluded that it did not have subject-matter jurisdiction because the existence of the
Mexican divorce judgment “is not a jurisdictional fact nor is the determination of that issue
9
outside of a district court’s general jurisdiction.” Because we have already concluded that
Texas courts generally treat recognition of a foreign divorce judgment as a jurisdictional
issue, we overrule Ex-Wife’s second issue. See Fuentes, 555 S.W.3d at 153.
B. Rule 308b Notice Requirements
By her third issue, Ex-Wife argues that the trial court erred when it granted comity
to the Mexican divorce judgment and concluded that it did not have subject-matter
jurisdiction because Ex-Husband failed to follow the notice requirements under Texas
Rule of Civil Procedure 308b. See TEX. R. CIV. P. 308b(d)(1). Ex-Husband argues that
Ex-Wife waived this issue, or he complied with Rule 308b’s notice requirements.
We agree with Ex-Wife that 308b applies to this case. Ex-Husband’s plea to the
jurisdiction alleged that the trial court lacked subject-matter jurisdiction over the parties
because the parties were not currently married and had been divorced in Mexico. He
attached translated, certified copies of the Mexican family court divorce judgment and the
Mexican appellate court decision. He requested that the trial court dismiss the case as a
result of the divorce proceedings in Mexico. In other words, Ex-Husband sought
recognition or enforcement of the Mexican divorce. Therefore, Ex-Husband invoked Rule
308b in his plea to the jurisdiction. See id. R. 308b(b)(1); Fuentes, 555 S.W.3d at 160–61
(providing that Rule 308b applied to whether the trial court could grant comity to the
foreign divorce judgment at issue in the case).
However, the trial court seemingly accepted that Rule 308b did not apply because
the trial court failed to follow the procedural components of the statute. The trial court
failed to “conduct a pretrial conference to set deadlines and make other appropriate
orders regarding: (1) the submission of materials for the court to consider in determining
10
foreign law; (2) the translation of foreign-language documents; and (3) the designation of
expert witnesses.” TEX. R. CIV. P. 308b(e). For example, Ex-Husband maintained in his
plea to the jurisdiction that the Mexican courts “ha[d] continuing, exclusive jurisdiction,”
yet provided no law on the subject or expert witness to prove the assertion. See id.
But Ex-Wife does not challenge on appeal the adequacy of the trial court’s
procedures under Rule 308b. In fact, she equates the hearing on the plea to the
jurisdiction as a hearing under Rule 308b(f)(1) and states in her appellate brief that the
trial court “found that Rule 308b applied” because its order concluded that the Mexican
divorce proceedings were deserving of respect and comity. See id. R. 308b(f)(1)–(4)
(providing that the trial court is required to “conduct a hearing on the record to determine
whether to enforce the judgment or award” and issue a written order determining “whether
to enforce the [foreign] judgment”). Instead, she merely argues that because Ex-Husband
failed to follow the notice requirements under 308b(d)(1), this Court should reverse and
find that Ex-Husband waived the issue. Notably, Ex-Wife has never alleged or complained
that Ex-Husband’s untimely notice prejudiced her from arguing against enforcement of
the Mexican divorce judgment or prevented her from defending her position.
As Ex-Wife concedes in her appellate brief, there is no direct authority on whether
a party may waive their right to seek recognition of a foreign judgment in a suit involving
the marriage relationship under Rule 308b. Moreover, there is no direct authority
explaining what the consequences are when a party fails to comply with the notice
requirements under Rule 308b. Ex-Wife argues that Texas Civil Practices and Remedies
Code section 150.002 is “analogous,” and under that statute, “a defendant’s right to seek
dismissal of a plaintiff’s claim can be waived by conduct.”
11
Section 150.002, however, is not analogous. It does not involve the marriage
relationship, comity, or family law. See TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE § 150.002. The
statute involves the certificate of merit requirement in actions or arbitration proceedings
“for damages arising out of the provision of professional services by a licensed or
registered professional.” Id. § 150.002(a). “The statute acts as a procedural bar for claims
without a certificate of merit.” Crosstex Energy Servs., L.P. v. Pro Plus, Inc., 430 S.W.3d
384, 393 (Tex. 2014). The Texas Supreme Court has specifically held that
section 150.002 is non-jurisdictional, and, therefore, waivable. Id. at 393. In contrast, a
trial court’s determination to recognize a foreign divorce judgment under Rule 308b is a
jurisdictional issue, and subject-matter jurisdiction may not be waived. See id.; Fuentes,
555 S.W.3d at 153.
Even if we assume that Ex-Husband failed to timely file for enforcement of the
Mexican divorce judgment, we are unpersuaded by Ex-Wife’s argument that the proper
remedy is to find that Ex-Husband waived the issue of comity and render the Mexican
divorce judgment unenforceable—thus conferring subject-matter jurisdiction on the trial
court to grant the underlying divorce. Accordingly, we overrule Ex-Wife’s third issue.
C. Alleged Due Process Violation
By her last issue, Ex-Wife argues that the trial court abused its discretion when it
granted comity to the Mexican divorce judgment because the judgment “violated the
United States and Texas Constitutional guarantees and Texas public policy.” 6 Ex-Wife
6 Ex-Husband argues that Ex-Wife waived this issue because she “improperly attacks the trial
court’s conclusions of law[] on the basis of factual sufficiency,” and Ex-Wife failed to make “make a request
for findings of fact and conclusions of law pursuant to Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 296, nor did she
request additional or amended findings of fact and conclusions of law pursuant to Texas Rule of Civil
Procedure 298.” We will assume without deciding that Ex-Wife has preserved this issue on appeal.
12
contends that service of process in the Mexico proceedings was defective and that the
Mexican appellate court’s opinion “conclusively establishes that there was a lack of strict
compliance with what is required under Rule 106 for valid service.” She argues that
because service did not strictly comply with the service rules under Texas law, her due
process rights were violated, and the trial court erred when it recognized the Mexican
divorce judgment.
We reject Ex-Wife’s contention that a foreign court’s failure to strictly follow Texas
service rules de facto means a violation of due process or violation of Texas public policy.
Rule 308b says nothing about the standards the Texas court is required to apply. See
TEX. R. CIV. P. 308b(b)(1); Marriage of Sabir, 2024 WL 3507200, at *2 (noting that “the
Pakistani court was not required to comply with Texas law or procedure” to satisfy due
process requirements). Further, courts have upheld a trial court’s comity determination
even where the complaining spouse was not served in strict compliance with Texas law.
See Ashfaq, 467 S.W.3d at 543 (holding that the trial court acted within its discretion when
it found that the Pakistani divorce decree was not obtained in violation of wife’s due
process rights, even though wife was not personally served and there was conflicting
evidence as to whether husband timely served wife in the Pakistani proceedings); Azhar,
2023 WL 5615810, at *10–11 (overruling wife’s argument that she was denied due
process as “she was not personally served and did not receive proper notice of the
Pakistani divorce” in part because she did not challenge the trial court’s conclusion of law
that the Pakistan Supreme Court decision over the couple’s divorce controlled).
This case is also distinguishable from cases in which the trial court declined to
recognize a foreign divorce judgment because it violated a spouse’s due process rights.
13
In those cases, there was evidence that the spouse opposing enforcement of the foreign
judgment never received notice of said judgment, or there was evidence that the foreign
judgment was fraudulent. See Fuentes, 555 S.W.3d at 154–55 (holding that the trial court
did not abuse its discretion in declining to recognize prior foreign divorce decree because
there was evidence that the foreign judgment was fraudulent); Marriage of Sabir, 2024
WL 3507200, at *2–3 (same, where “the record lack[ed] evidence of any notice to Wife of
the Pakistani proceedings until after a judgment was rendered, and therefore, Wife was
deprived of minimum due process”); Nikolenko, 2022 WL 479988, at *7 (same, where
wife “testified at trial that she was never served in the Russian divorce proceeding, and
the Russian divorce decree itself notes that [wife] did not ‘receive[ ] legal notice’”); Duruji,
2007 WL 582282, at *4–5 (same, where wife alleged that “she was never served with any
pleadings in the [Nigerian] divorce action, and she did not learn about the alleged Nigerian
decree until [husband] filed it with his answer in the Texas divorce action,” and “nothing
in the exhibits admitted into evidence demonstrate[d] proper service on [wife]”); cf.
Telegina v. Nechayuk, No. 09-22-00383-CV, 2024 WL 5080262, at *10–11(Tex. App.—
Beaumont Dec. 12, 2024), supplemented, No. 09-22-00383-CV, 2025 WL 52479 (Tex.
App.—Beaumont Jan. 9, 2025, no pet.) (mem. op.) (holding that the trial court did not
abuse its discretion when it recognized the Russian divorce decree because the record
indicated that wife had notice and voluntarily participated in the Russian divorce
proceedings).
In contrast to these cases, Ex-Wife does not argue that she was never served or
did not have notification of the Mexican divorce proceedings, that she could not fairly
participate in the Mexican proceedings, or that the Mexican proceedings or divorce
14
judgment were fraudulent. From the above precedent, we cannot find that the trial court
abused its discretion. See Fuentes, 555 S.W.3d at 154–55; Ashfaq, 467 S.W.3d at 543;
Marriage of Sabir, 2024 WL 3507200, at *2–3; Nikolenko, 2022 WL 479988, at *7; Duruji,
2007 WL 582282, at *4–5; cf. Telegina, 2024 WL 5080262, at *10–11. We overrule Ex-
Wife’s last issue.
V. CONCLUSION
The trial court’s judgment is affirmed.
JON WEST
Justice
Delivered and filed on the
9th day of April, 2026.
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