Article Published: Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Mo. judge defends ruling in Arvada couple's adoption
By Howard Pankratz
Denver Post Legal Affairs Writer






A Missouri judge who ordered an Arvada couple to return a child they were
adopting to his natural mother said Tuesday that he did the right thing.

The Colorado Supreme Court ruled Monday that Colorado judges can ignore a
ruling by Missouri Judge Joseph Briscoe that ordered the Colorado couple to
return baby Alex to his birth mother near St. Louis.

The Colorado high court said that in ordering the return, Briscoe, a circuit
judge in St. Charles County, Mo., failed to consider the best interests of the
baby.

But Briscoe said Tuesday that Missouri judges must first determine whether a
parent is fit before determining the best interests of the child.

And there was no evidence that the birth mother was unfit, Briscoe said.


http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~53~2081878,00.html

Posted for educational purposes only


Diane Welfare, "she describes the US market as a "$US1.4 billion business in
baby trafficking". ~~121603
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/12/15/1071336884771.html