Court Opinion

ID: 9771827
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 16:54:46.100548+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:37.611227
License: Public Domain

BARDGETT, Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. Although I am not familiar with the details of the laws of Oregon relating to adoption, I feel satisfied that under those laws the scheme allegedly proposed by attorney Lovejoy to Mary Bennett whereby he would adopt Lucy Ann Smith’s adopted children would, on its face, constitute a fraud on the courts of the state of Oregon and, in my opinion, a fraud upon the children. Plaintiffs’ petition itself demonstrates that such adoption would be contrary to the interests of the children and it is inconceivable to me that any court, if advised of the true facts pertaining to and the purpose of the proposed adoption, would order the adoption.
*193The testatrix had no right to rely upon such a fraudulent scheme being carried out. The testatrix Bennett could have made out a new will or a codicil to the existing one and, by a perfectly legal and proper method, thereby leave the children nothing.
I agree with the dissenting opinion of Stockard, Sp. J., and would affirm the judgment of the circuit court dismissing plaintiffs’ petition.