According to documents obtained by the Shelbyville Times-Gazette, Hansen's attorney filed a motion to dismiss child support claims made by Hansen's adoption agency, World Association for Children and Parents, in juvenile court in Shelbyville.Makes me proud to be an attorney -- argue that the court lacks jurisdiction because the adoptive mom decides after less than six months that she prefers to send the child back to Russia with a note of rejection than parent him. Sigh.
The newspaper reported Thursday that Russian authorities want Hansen to pay about $2,500 a month to care for the child, who is living in an orphanage.
Hansen's attorney, Trisha Henegar, filed the response Dec. 28. Hansen has since retained a different attorney, Jennifer Thompson, who declined to discuss details of the case when reached by The Associated Press on Thursday.
Henegar argued that the juvenile court lacks jurisdiction to order child support because Tennessee is not the boy's "home state" and said the termination of Hansen's parental rights is currently being handled by a Russian court.
Henegar said in the documents that Tennessee state law defines the "home state" as where a child lived with a parent for at least six months. She said the boy, who was named Justin Hansen, lived with the family in Bedford County less than six months before he was sent back.
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5 comments:
Gobsmacked. This story has been so disturbing from day 1.
Sooo. Let's see: She doesn't want the kid, so she sends him back. She doesn't want to pay child support. BUT she won't sign off to allow him to be adopted by someone else. This woman is a real piece of work.
"This woman is a real piece of work."
So are the attorneys that agree to be retained and provide legal services to her.
Seriously, can an attorney not see the ethical issues here. Forget legal issues, just ethical issues alone seem to warrant not being retained by this woman.
Remember the case of the Russian born child on Dr. Phil recently? Found this update which is quite interesting, Russian diplomats are going to interview the adoptive mother and the Russian gov't is becoming involved as it is considered maltreatment of a Russian citizen, I would imagine.
http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/01/23/40869220.html
Yep - less than 6 months and 6-7 year old is supposed to adjust to a new life and be homeschooled without spending time with other kids, when he has probably spent most of his prior life in group situations. How self serving and unprepared for adoption this person must have been.
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