Pregnant Woman Can't Get A Divorce, Judge Says

[Bob Hubbard]

Pregnant Woman Can't Get A Divorce, Judge Says

Author: The Associated Press Source: The Seattle Times (WA)

Title: PREGNANT WOMAN CAN'T GET A DIVORCE, JUDGE SAYS

A Spokane woman trying to divorce her estranged husband two years after he was jailed for beating her has been told by a judge she can't get out of the marriage while she's pregnant.

The case pits a first-year attorney who argues that state law allows any couple to divorce if neither spouse challenges it against a longtime family-law judge who says the rights of the unborn child in this type of case trump a woman's right to divorce.

"There's a lot of case law that says it is important in this state that children not be illegitimized," Spokane County Superior Court Judge Paul Bastine told The Spokesman-Review newspaper.

Further complicating things, Shawnna Hughes says her husband is not the child's father.

But the bottom line, says Hughes' attorney, Terri Sloyer, is that there's nothing in state law that says a woman can't get a divorce if she's pregnant. Options: [Read Full Story]
Original Thread: http://www.witchvox.com/wren/wn_detail.html?id=11913

 

[Feisty Mouse]

How insane will this get?

By all means, it will be *so* much better for the baby to be raised where his or her mother is being abused. Oh, yes.

 

[MA-Caver]

Time to find another judge.
Insane? No, it's STUPID!

 

[Darksoul]

-Perhaps the judge should have his head examined. Stupid be da word! People shouldn't have to be stuck together like this. Does the husband even care? Does it matter, especially if the kid isn't his? Well this is just silly.


A---)

 

[Zepp]

There's no way an appellate court won't overturn this decision.

 

[raedyn]

"illegitimized"
*shudder*
*double shudder*

That makes me angry in so many ways, I can't even begin to describe.

"illegitimized"
*snort*

 

[michaeledward]

Didn't we just have an election that 'Values', one of which was stable, heterosexual marriage, was the overwhelming victor?

 

[OUMoose]

Didn't we just have an election that 'Values', one of which was stable, heterosexual marriage, was the overwhelming victor?

I believe the key word there is stable.

Zepp has it right here. One appeal and a judge who has his head on straight and isn't using his position to further his personal agenda will overturn this decision and give this lady some peace. Granted, she doesn't sound like a peach or anything if it's not the baby's father anyways, but that's a discussion for another time.