Berry v. Chaplin

169 P.2d 442, 74 Cal. App. 2d 652, 1946 Cal. App. LEXIS 1013
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 27, 1946
DocketCiv. 15135
StatusPublished
Cited by108 cases

This text of 169 P.2d 442 (Berry v. Chaplin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Berry v. Chaplin, 169 P.2d 442, 74 Cal. App. 2d 652, 1946 Cal. App. LEXIS 1013 (Cal. Ct. App. 1946).

Opinions

WILSON, J.

This is a filiation proceeding commenced under sections 196a and 231 of the Civil Code by the grandmother of plaintiff as guardian ad litem prior to plaintiff’s birth in which a judgment was prayed that defendant be declared to be the father of plaintiff, and that he be required to pay for medical care during pregnancy and birth for the mother of plaintiff, and for the support of plaintiff after birth, together with attorneys’ fees and costs.

Following the commencement of the action a stipulation . was signed by the guardian ad litem and the attorneys then representing her and plaintiff, and by defendant and his attorneys, which recites the claim of Joan Berry, the mother of the [654]*654prospective child, that she was then with child begotten by defendant on or about December 20, 1942, and the denial of defendant that he was the father of said child. The stipulation, the details of which will be stated hereinafter, provides for the making of tests of the blood of the child, of Joan Berry, and of defendant. Said stipulation was approved by the Honorable William S. Baird, a judge of the superior court. After the birth of the child blood tests were made by physicians, chosen as provided in the stipulation. They unanimously reported their conclusion from the tests that defendant was not the father of the child. Counsel who at that time represented plaintiff did not, as provided in the stipulation, file a dismissal of the action upon the receipt of said report. Thereupon defendant made a motion for dismissal based upon the terms of the stipulation and the physicians’ report. Counsel who now represent plaintiff were substituted for the attorneys who commenced the action and who entered into said stipulation, and the present guardian ad litem was substituted for the grandmother. The motion to dismiss was heard by the Honorable Stanley Mosk, a judge of the superior court. No evidence was offered at the hearing of the motion concerning the justness or fairness of the stipulation to the minor. Judge Mosk denied the motion on March 8, 1944. Defendant then answered denying the allegations of the complaint and setting up as an affirmative defense the stipulation to which reference has been made, the report of the physicians, the payment of the sums which he agreed in the stipulation to pay, and alleging that by reason of the stipulation, the physicians’ report, and the payment of said sums, plaintiff was estopped to proceed with the action. The case came on for trial before the Honorable Clarence L. Kincaid, whereupon, on motion of defendant, his special defense was considered and ruled upon before the case proceeded to trial. Again no evidence was presented as to whether the stipulation was for the best interests of the minor. The court ruled that “the first affirmative defense herein which is a plea in bar to the further prosecution of the action is denied. ’ ’

The ease was tried before a jury which rendered a verdict' that defendant is the father of plaintiff. A judgment so decreeing was entered in accordance with the verdict and adjudging that defendant pay to the guardian ad litem the sum of $75 per week for the support and education of the child during her minority, or until the further order of the court, and the sum of $5,000 attorneys’ fees.

[655]*655Defendant has appealed from the whole of the judgment except the portion requiring the payment of said sum as attorneys’ fees.

(Plaintiff has appealed from those portions of the judgment awarding said amounts for her support and maintenance and for the fees of her attorneys, claiming that both are insufficient. Her appeal is covered by a separate opinion this day filed (post, p. 669 [169 P.2d 453]).)

1. Did the court err in denying defendant’s motion to dismiss the action? The stipulation to which reference has been made contains the following, among other provisions: That subsequent to the making of said claim by Joan Berry defendant voluntarily agreed to pay to her the sums of money set forth in the stipulation for medical care and for her support and for all hospital and medical expenses necessary for her proper care during the period of her pregnancy and confinement and attendant upon the birth of the child, upon condition that she would voluntarily submit said child after its birth to medical tests for the purpose of determining its paternity and that she would make herself and said child available at all times so that said tests could be made by competent medical experts; that an order be made by the superior court whereby defendant shall be required to pay to the guardian ad litem the amounts set forth in the stipulation for said purposes, and that attorneys’ fees in the sum of $5,000 shall be paid directly to the attorneys for plaintiff; that if the action shall be tried defendant shall pay an additional sum of $5,000 as attorneys’ feés; that the action shall not be brought to trial until at least four months after the birth of the child and not until appropriate tests shall have been conducted as provided in the stipulation; that after said child shall have lived for a period of not less than four months it shall be made available for the purpose of having such tests made; that one physician shall be named by defendant, one by the guardian ad litem, and the two physicians so chosen shall select a third “who shall be especially skilled in such matters, who shall make a blood test or other tests accepted by medical science for the purpose of proving and establishing paternity, and who shall report their findings and conclusions with respect to the paternity of said child to the said guardian ad litem and to the defendant”; that said Joan Berry shall be bound by said stipulation as if she were the plaintiff and real party in interest; that defendant, by entering into the stipulation, shall in [656]*656no way be deemed or construed as thereby admitting any allegation in the complaint, but on the contrary denies that he is or could be the father of the child.

The following paragraph contains the provision under which defendant claims that, by reason of the report of the physicians, the dismissal of the action is made mandatory:

“It is further stipulated that in the event two of said physicians shall determine, as the result of said test or tests that the defendant herein is not the father of said child of Joan Berry, then and in such event the above entitled action shall be forthwith dismissed, with prejudice, and the defendant herein shall not thereafter be obligated to make any other or further payments in the above entitled action for any purpose whatsoever. In the event plaintiff’s attorneys of record shall fail or refuse to file with the clerk of the above entitled court an order for the dismissal of said action with prejudice, under the circumstances and at the time hereinabove agreed upon, then and in such event the defendant may, without prior notice, present to the above entitled court a copy of said medical report of said two physicians, acknowledged by them before a Notary Public, and upon the presentation of said acknowledged copy of said report, the said court shall then and thereupon order the dismissal of the above entitled action, with prejudice. ’ ’

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Bluebook (online)
169 P.2d 442, 74 Cal. App. 2d 652, 1946 Cal. App. LEXIS 1013, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/berry-v-chaplin-calctapp-1946.