Sweat v. Turner

JONES,' Justice.

This appeal is from a judgment that dismissed Charles P. Sweat’s petition for custody of his illegitimate 4-year-old daughter, Michelle Foley. The petition was filed three weeks after Eva Foley, Michelle’s mother, was killed in an automobile accident, and 12 days after Michelle’s release from the hospital following treatment of her injuries from the same accident. The trial court dismissed Charles’ petition for lack of jurisdiction of the subject matter and on the contradictory theory that Charles “committed laches by his neglect to bring an action within a reasonable length…