Stromberg v. Markoff

58 N.E.2d 88, 41 Ohio Law. Abs. 133, 1944 Ohio App. LEXIS 572
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 22, 1944
DocketNo. 1785
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 58 N.E.2d 88 (Stromberg v. Markoff) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stromberg v. Markoff, 58 N.E.2d 88, 41 Ohio Law. Abs. 133, 1944 Ohio App. LEXIS 572 (Ohio Ct. App. 1944).

Opinions

OPINION

By GEIGER. J.

FACTS: In 1940, Appellee, Adele Markoff, married appellant, Lawrence Stromberg of Los Angeles, California. The child, who afterwards becomes the subject matter of the present controversy was bom to the parties in 1941, prior to divorce proceedings.

Afterwards, on September 16, 1941, Adele B. Stromberg, now Adele B. Markoff, appellee, prosecuted an action for divorce against Lawrence Stromberg, Sr., appellant, in the Los Angeles County Courts, Los Angeles, California. The cause was tried, both parties being present before that court; on October 17,1941, an interlocutory decree against the defendant was entered, granting a divorce to the plaintiff.

[135]*135The decree provides, among other things, that “Plaintiff is awarded the care, custody and control of the minor child subject to reasonable visitations by the defendant.” Further that

“Plaintiff may take said child out of the state of California indefinitely.”

The interlocutory decree was confirmed in a final decree of divorce. Shortly thereafter, Adele, Appellee, married Delmor B. Markoff, appellee, left the state of California, and came to Dayton, Ohio, bringing with her said child, and taking up her residence there.

On December 23, 1942, she and her present husband made an application to the Probate Court of Montgomery County, Ohio, for an order permitting them to adopt as their own, said child. A number of continuances were granted in the Probate Court on the application of Lawrence Stromberg, Sr., based upon the fact that he was in the armed services of the United States. The case was finally set for hearing on May 3, 1943. A motion was filed by Stromberg for a stay of proceedings in accordance with Section 201 of the Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act of 1940. That motion having been overruled, Stromberg, Sr., filed a motion to dismiss on the ground that the Court had no jurisdiction of the subject matter, or of the above named Lawrence Stromberg, Jr., the child. This motion was overruled, and a decree entered authorizing the adoption of Lawrence Stromberg, Jr., by Adele B. Markoff and Delmor B. Markoff, and changing the name of said child from Lawrence Stromberg, Jr., to “Richard Markoff”.

A motion for a new trial was orally made and overruled and exceptions noted, and notice of appeal given.

The appellant, Lawrence Stromberg, Sr., through his attorneys filed the following Assignments of Error:

“1. That the Court erred in overruling the Appellant’s motion for a stay of proceedings under the Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act.

2. The court erred in overruling Appellant’s motion to dismiss for want of jurisdiction.

3. The court erred in granting an order of adoption in these proceedings.”

The matter first before the court is the question as to whether or not Lawrence Stromberg, Sr., Appellant, by reason [136]*136of his military activities, was entitled to a continuance of the cause. The court in passing upon this held that this motion should be overruled for the reasons given.

The Act of 1940 for Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief, Section 201, provides in substance that at any stage thereof any action or proceedings in any court in which a person in the military service is involved, either as plaintiff or defendant, during the period of such service or within sixty days thereafter may, in the discretion of the court in which it is pending on its own motion, and shall, on application to it by such person, or some person on his behalf, be stayed as provided in this Act, unless in the opinion of the court, the ability of the plaintiff to prosecute the action or the defendant to conduct his defense is not materially affected by reason of his military service.

The Court, in the trial of this case was ever diligent in affording to the appellant, Stromberg, opportunity to present a substantial claim for a continuance of the action during the period of his military service, and the Bill of Exceptions discloses considerable correspondence between the Court and Stromberg and the officials under whom he was serving. The gist of the inquiry of the Court was whether Stromberg desired to attend the hearing, and if so, whether the opportunity would be afforded him by the military authorities. It was first stated by his Commanding Officer that he could attend if he so desired, but afterwards this statement was corrected by stating that he had been called for some special military schooling service, and that he could not attend at the date first set by the Court. On April 26, a short time prior to the final hearing, the following telegram was received by the Judge of the Probate Court, and is exhibited in the Bill of Exceptions:

“Request by Lawrence Stromberg for leave if made would be granted. Stromberg does not desire to make such request letter from this command follows.”

(Signed) B. C. Allen Chief of Staff

And on April 28, there was a confirmatory telegram to the Judge of the Probate Court:

“Your telegram brought to the attention of Lt. Lawrence Stromberg.”

Western Sea Frontier.

[137]*137Before the hearing was begun on May 3, the Court instructed the following entry:

“Let the record show that there is in court today Mr. Mills Matthews, counsel for Lt. Stromberg, and co-counsel Mr. Gale Murphy, and Maurice J. Gilbert, Attorney for the petitioners; also Mrs. Markoff, one of the petitioners.”

The provisions of the Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act provides for the granting of a stay “unless in the opinion of the court the ability of the plaintiff to prosecute the action or the defendant to conduct his defense, is materially affected by reason of his military service.” It may also be pointed out that the Act itself provides that:

“At any stage any action in any court in which a person in military service is involved, either as plaintiff or defendant.”

A strict construing of the Act might justify the Court in refusing a continuance on the ground that Stromberg, Sr., was neither plaintiff nor defendant, nor even a party to the action. It is true that he was interested from the fact that an application was being heard whereby it was sought to adopt his son, and thereby deprive him of future rights, and the court evidently proceeded on the theory that the Act should be liberally construed in behalf of Stromberg, Sr. In view of the communications had between the Court and the military authorities and the information received from Stromberg, and the presence of his counsel active in his behalf, we are of the opinion that the court had authority to proceed with the hearing in spite "of the absence of Stromberg, Sr.

First Assignment of Error is therefore overruled.

Second assignment relative to error is asserted on the ground that the Court overruled the appellant’s motion to dismiss for want of jurisdiction.

The statutes relating to adoption are §10512-9 et seq. GC. Section 10512-11 provides:

In any adoption proceedings, written consent must be given to such adoption as follows: except(d) “by the parent awarded the custody of the child by divorce decree, provided the court which granted such decree approves of such consent and because of such approval, the .jurisdiction of such court over such child shall therefrom cease.”

[138]

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Bluebook (online)
58 N.E.2d 88, 41 Ohio Law. Abs. 133, 1944 Ohio App. LEXIS 572, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stromberg-v-markoff-ohioctapp-1944.