Matter of Marriage of Haxton and Haxton

The issue is whether ORS 109.010 provides a cause of action for support against his parent for an adult who is mentally handicapped to the extent that his handicap prevents him from securing employment. That statute provides:

“Parents are bound to maintain their children who are poor and unable to work to maintain themselves; and children are bound to maintain their parents in like circumstances.”

The parents were married on December 20,1958, and were divorce in August 1978. The decree of dissolution awarded custody of the couple’s four children to mother and provided for support payments by…