Watkins v. Chirrick

This is an appeal from an order dismissing with prejudice a petition filed by the petitioner-natural mother to vacate the decree of adoption of her child by respondent-adoptive parents. The dismissal followed an order sustaining respondents’ demurrer to the petition. Petitioner asserts that consent to the adoption of her baby was not freely and intelligently given and that such consent was necessary as a jurisdictional prerequisite for a valid decree of adoption. Petitioner further asserts that she has standing to petition to vacate the decree of adoption because the legislature cannot,…