Walker v. Gardner

Donald Gardner sought, and was granted, the adoption of eight year old Michilene Walker, the daughter of his wife, over the objection of the child’s father, Ralph W. Walker, II, who tells us the chancellor erred (a) in failing to find specifically that his consent to the adoption had been withheld contrary to the best interests of the child; and (b) in finding that the interests of the child best would be served by granting the adoption.

Walker has never seen his daughter. He and her mother married in October, 1949, and separated in May or June, 1950. The evidence was that during the brief…