Burnette v. Oliver

McMurray, Chief Judge.

In this adoption case, the appellee is seeking to adopt his four-year-old stepdaughter, the minor child of the appellant natural father. The petition was filed on June 10, 1983, and the hearing was scheduled for September 7, 1983. On June 13, 1983, an order was entered to serve the appellant by publication; however, the appellant was served subsequently with a copy of the petition on August 26, 1983. An answer to the petition was filed by the appellant on the September 7, 1983, hearing date.

At the outset of the hearing, counsel for the appellant stated, “I think that the…