vincent Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 SPOKANE, Wash., Aug. 5 (UPI) -- A Washington state appeals court has upheld a judge's decision that delayed a woman's divorce because she neglected to notify her husband of her pregnancyThe case, which angered many women's rights advocates, led to a change in state law, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported. But the appellate panel found that Spokane County Superior Court Judge Paul Bastine's ruling followed the state law of the time. Shawnna Hughes, who sought a divorce while her husband, Carlos, was in prison for domestic violence, said in her divorce filing that she was not pregnant. She later amended the filing to say that she was pregnant but Carlos Hughes was not the father, and did not serve him or the state. "Requiring Ms. Hughes to fairly give due notice and an opportunity to be heard to Mr. Hughes and the state will cause delay," the appeals panel said. "But, just delay is not justice denied." Under the old state law, divorces of pregnant women could be delayed to give the state Department of Social and Health Services time to settle the question of paternity and child support. source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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