FAMILY LAW CASES

• Vaughn v. Wallace
• Elkins v. Superior Court of Contra Costa County
• Marriage of Lafkas

U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, August 07, 2007
Vaughn v. Wallace, No. 06-3379
In a mother's 42 U.S.C. section 1983 and wrongful death action brought against a foster mother and several family services agency employees arising from her child's death in a fire at a foster home, summary judgment for a child care worker and supervisor is affirmed as plaintiff failed to show that any action or inaction by defendants caused the child's death. Read more...

Supreme Court of California, August 06, 2007
Elkins v. Superior Court of Contra Costa County, No. S139073
As applied to contested marital dissolution trials, a local court rule and trial scheduling order in a family law court, which provide that in dissolution trials parties must present their case by means of written declarations, are inconsistent with various statutory provisions and conflict with the hearsay rule. Read more...

California Appellate Districts, August 06, 2007
Marriage of Lafkas, No. B189280
Appeal from order bifurcating trial of issues involving division of disputed assets between husband and wife is dismissed as the court of appeal lacks jurisdiction in the absence of a certificate of probable cause and an order allowing the appeal on the bifurcated issue. Read more...