Moody v. Voorhies

This is a contested adoption matter in which the natural mother and her present husband are seeking to adopt the only child born of the marriage between the mother and her former husband. The child is presently just under six years of age. The trial judge found that the natural father had willfully deserted the child (ORS 109.324) and granted the petition for adoption.

The natural parents of the child were divorced in December of 1965 and the mother was awarded custody. In March of 1966 the mother remarried and the child has lived with the mother and her present husband since that time. The…