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Court: Facebook wrong way to tell man you're pregnant
Fox News ^ | October 23, 2014 | John Johnson

Posted on 10/25/2014 11:56:33 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows

Oklahoma's Supreme Court has ruled that when it comes to informing a man that he is about to become a father, a Facebook post doesn't cut it, legally speaking.

In this case, a woman had a three-month fling with a man named Billy McCall in 2011, then realized she was pregnant after they broke things off, reports the Oklahoman.

She sent him a Facebook message informing of the big news, gave birth in 2012, then immediately put the baby up for adoption. McCall says he never saw the Facebook post and learned about the baby only after it was born, explains Courthouse News Service.

Lower courts declared that McCall's parental rights had been terminated, but the state Supreme Court disagreed. "This court is unwilling to declare notice via Facebook alone sufficient to meet the requirements of the due processes clauses of the United States and Oklahoma Constitutions," wrote a justice in the majority opinion, according to the Wall Street Journal.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; US: Oklahoma
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A rare victory for common sense. I wonder if the court would have ruled the same way if Baby Mama had been trying to get child support?
1 posted on 10/25/2014 11:56:33 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows
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To: Slings and Arrows
something is not quite right with this sentence

"and learned about the baby only after it was born, "
2 posted on 10/25/2014 12:01:28 PM PDT by stylin19a (Obama ----> Fredo smart)
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To: stylin19a
...and learned about the baby only after it the child was born,
3 posted on 10/25/2014 12:08:57 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Dunam, Duncan, man what infections these folks brought over.)
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To: Slings and Arrows

Courts are messed up as is our society. Even, apparently, conservatives.

He has no more rights than a dog and being told, in however manner, was a courtesy.


4 posted on 10/25/2014 12:12:19 PM PDT by ifinnegan
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To: Slings and Arrows

“A rare victory for common sense.”

Why does he have any right.

He is not married to her.

He is not even with her.

He is nothing.


5 posted on 10/25/2014 12:13:30 PM PDT by ifinnegan
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To: Slings and Arrows

If someone posted a message on face book meant for me, I wouldn’t get it either. I don’t even read text messages. If someone wants to tell me something, they can use the same phone they are texting with to call me.


6 posted on 10/25/2014 12:15:19 PM PDT by Graybeard58 (Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Eccl 12 V.13)
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To: Slings and Arrows

I hope and pray he didn’t take the baby away from its true adoptive parents.

Men should keep their sperm to themselves, unless they’ve got plans for the child they might create.


7 posted on 10/25/2014 12:15:21 PM PDT by Yaelle
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To: ifinnegan

He should still be made aware that he has some bastard children around. Maybe he would do the right thing and would put up child support, at least.


8 posted on 10/25/2014 12:16:50 PM PDT by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
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To: Yaelle

He is the child’s true father, and was robbed of that opportunity by an irresponsible mother.


9 posted on 10/25/2014 12:18:29 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows ("Clappin' the Blues (remix)" [slightly NSFW] - http://youtu.be/p9d2iHSfRmE)
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To: ifinnegan

“He has no more rights than a dog and being told, in however manner, was a courtesy.”

Wow, you’re a cold-hearted fish aren’t you! Glad the court stood up for his rights. When you strip the situation, they were both “dogs in heat,” so just how does the woman have “greater rights” that her sperm donor? After all, the child is part of both of them irrespective of their marital situation.


10 posted on 10/25/2014 12:18:59 PM PDT by vette6387
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To: ifinnegan

He is the father of child, and was denied the opportunity to be so by the mother’s irresponsibility.


11 posted on 10/25/2014 12:20:57 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows ("Clappin' the Blues (remix)" [slightly NSFW] - http://youtu.be/p9d2iHSfRmE)
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To: stylin19a

Agreed. Would you ever say “a police man found a child walking alone and then took it home”?

This is a look into the mindset of this journalist..


12 posted on 10/25/2014 12:22:28 PM PDT by MNDude
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To: Yaelle

Right on Yaelle. At least she didn’t have an abortion. Praise the Lord!!


13 posted on 10/25/2014 12:26:37 PM PDT by willibeaux (de ole Korean War vet age 84)
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To: ifinnegan
He has no more rights than a dog and being told, in however manner, was a courtesy.

Seriously?????

When he found out he was a father he fought for that child. He has every right to his child when the mother gave it away.

14 posted on 10/25/2014 12:28:24 PM PDT by Lady Heron
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To: Yaelle

I’ll go further and point out that God meant men and women to marry and then have families. These cases would give Solomon a headache.


15 posted on 10/25/2014 12:32:36 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: Slings and Arrows
“Why would Facebook be any less reliable than other forms of electronic communication?” wrote Justice James Winchester in a dissenting opinion joined by two other justices. “Does the Court require a face-to-face confrontation with witnesses? Face-to-face discussions can be denied; letters can remain unopened; and faxes can be lost.”

Sorry, I usually agree with you but in this case I agree with the dissenting judges. He was informed.

And what is he planing on doing now?

Take the child and raise her?

She is two and has been in a settled home since birth.

I would be against taking the child away from her parents at this point.

16 posted on 10/25/2014 12:35:49 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Proud Infidel, Gun Nut, Religious Fanatic and Freedom Fiend)
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To: Slings and Arrows

I think it is a very sad yet serious situation for the little boy. People should be more responsible in these relationships and this is one reason being why. It’s a blessing the woman carried the baby. I don’t know what to say, hopefully they will allow the child to stay with the adoptive mom and dad because it would be very hard on the child now. I really feel for the father in some points though, I hope all adults put the child’s happiness and well being first. I have to say, this dad is not fully excused here himself for being in a relationship casually so, I don’t know if I am at a point to just say he has a blanket right to get the little boy in his custody. It’s clear the father and mother didn’t have a good trust in one another from the start.


17 posted on 10/25/2014 12:35:51 PM PDT by Christie at the beach
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

Facebook has never yet been a means of legal notice, because there isn’t any permanent record, and odds are he was blocking the harridan. Getting a reply back from him on Facebook would be the only way to demonstrate constructive notice actually happened. No reply, no proof.

Damages can still be assessed even if the child is left in its current situation (and no caviling about its, please).

If law is to underline moral duty and not just to be Calvinball to be played at people’s pleasure, then it should be respected.


18 posted on 10/25/2014 12:40:48 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: Slings and Arrows; Lazmataz

Laz. I’m pregnant.


19 posted on 10/25/2014 12:42:13 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set...)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Diana, you win all internetz ever.


20 posted on 10/25/2014 12:54:08 PM PDT by agere_contra (Hamas has dug miles of tunnels - but no bomb-shelters.)
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