Jolliff v. Crabtree

299 S.E.2d 358 (1983)

James Allen JOLLIFF

v.

Jimmy Joe CRABTREE.

Record No. 801099.

Supreme Court of Virginia.

January 21, 1983.

Gordon P. Peyton, Alexandria, for appellant.

Michael P. Valois, Alexandria (Garrett & Valois, P.C., Alexandria, on brief), for appellee.

Before CARRICO, C.J., and COCHRAN, POFF, COMPTON, THOMPSON, STEPHENSON and RUSSELL, JJ.

THOMPSON, Justice.

In this appeal, we must decide if the trial court correctly held that consent to adoption by a stepfather was withheld by the natural father contrary to the best interests of the child.[*]

The natural parents were married in 1968. The…