State ex rel. Washington v. Dilworth

In this filiation proceeding, the state appeals from a judgment entered on a jury verdict for respondent. It argues that errors were made in three separate evidentiary rulings which resulted in the admission of irrelevant and prejudicial evidence. We agree and reverse.

The state first assigns error to the trial court’s denial of its motion to exclude any reference to mother’s husband, Beeson. Mother was married to him on December 23,1977. In June, 1978, they separated. Respondent did not dispute mother’s testimony that, although she had stayed with Beeson at his home for three days in…