Weidner v. American Family Mutual Insurance Co.

DOWD, Judge.

American Family Mutual Insurance Co., (“American Family”) appeals from the trial court’s judgment declaring Sandra Weidner (“Daughter”) the equitably adopted daughter of Alfred L. Lott (“Lott”) and from the award of sanctions against it. We reverse and remand.

Daughter was born to a single mother, Dorothy Hamblin, (“Mother”) in January 1946 in Watertown, New York. Upon learning of her pregnancy, Mother had left her hometown of Syracuse for Watertown in order to spare her family embarrassment. Mother gave Daughter the fictitious surname Carpenter. Almost two years following…