Evans v. Evans

MURPHY, Chief Judge.

The question in this case is whether, as part of a divorce proceeding, the court is authorized to award visitation rights to a nonadoptive stepmother of a minor child.

I

Cheryl and Donald Evans were married in June of 1975. For six months prior to the marriage, Donald’s child by an earlier marriage, then eighteen-month-old Jason, was in Cheryl’s care. The parties separated in January of 1980. For seven months thereafter, Jason lived with Cheryl. In August of 1980, Jason went to live with his father.

In April, 1981, Donald filed a bill of complaint for divorce in the Circuit…