Lavell v. Adoption Institute

Frederick Lavell brought an action against The Adoption Institute, a California corporation, seeking custody of a child named Baby Lavell who was in the custody of the institute which answered the complaint, alleging its right to custody of the baby on the ground that its mother Mary Kristek, a single person, had released the baby to the institute. The judgment declared that plaintiff is entitled to custody of the child, and the institute has appealed.

In the trial the material issue was whether the child was legitimate, in which event, under the circumstances in evidence, the consent of both…