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Statement by attorney Elizabeth Gorman (July 2)

Statement by attorney Elizabeth Gorman (July 2)

"Our client, Mr. Mills, has consistently acted to protect the parent-child relationship between him and his daughter," says Elizabeth Gorman, lead counsel and attorney with Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc. in Dayton, Ohio.  "Before his daughter was one month old, Mr. Mills had registered with the Ohio putative father registry and filed a complaint for paternity and custody of his daughter. In fact, Mr. Mills had filed his complaint for paternity and custody before Ms. Doss was approved as the placement through the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children and before Ms. Doss and his daughter left the State of Ohio.  Our client was found to be the biological father by genetic testing and established paternity of his daughter in Ohio," she says. 

Statement by attorney Elizabeth Gorman (July 2)

"Our client, Mr. Mills, has consistently acted to protect the parent-child relationship between him and his daughter," says Elizabeth Gorman, lead counsel and attorney with Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc. in Dayton, Ohio.  "Before his daughter was one month old, Mr. Mills had registered with the Ohio putative father registry and filed a complaint for paternity and custody of his daughter. In fact, Mr. Mills had filed his complaint for paternity and custody before Ms. Doss was approved as the placement through the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children and before Ms. Doss and his daughter left the State of Ohio.  Our client was found to be the biological father by genetic testing and established paternity of his daughter in Ohio," she says. 

At the time Mr. Mills initiated proceedings in the Ohio Court, he did not know that a petition for adoption of his daughter had also been filed in California.  Because the location of the child was unknown to the Ohio court, interim temporary custody of this child was initially granted to the Montgomery County Children Services Board. The Children Services Board has maintained custody throughout these proceedings. The California court found in the adoption case that Ohio was the appropriate state to hear any matters relating to the possible termination of parental rights that is necessary before an adoption can be finalized. 

"On June 10, 2010, the Ohio Court ordered that the child was to be brought back to Ohio until the custody case was resolved and the child was to be cared for in an appropriate home that would allow contact with the child’s family including our client. Ms. Doss filed an emergency request with the California Court to prevent the child from leaving California that was granted temporarily until the phone conference that took place today," says Gorman. "Today the California Court denied her request for an ongoing order preventing the child from leaving California and the California Court will vacate its emergency order on July 16, 2010. This means that only the Ohio order that the child should return here prior to the trial will be in place after July 16, 2010," she adds.

Mr. Mills realizes this is an emotional situation for everyone involved. He trusts the Court will continue to issue appropriate orders to protect his daughter’s best interest and is looking forward to having more parenting time with his daughter before the trial.

RELATED ARTICLES:

>> Statement by Attorney Elizabeth Gorman (July 23)
>> Statement by Attorney Elizabeth Gorman (July 14)
>> Statement by Attorney Elizabeth Gorman (July 7)

Please direct any additional questions to:

Patricia J. Robb, APR
Marketing Communications Director
Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc. (LAWO)
Center for Equal Justice
419-930-2517 (work)
419-350-6017 (cell)
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