COURT UPHOLDS REJECTION OF MOTHER'S CLAIM TO CHILD

The Dallas Morning News

FORT WORTH -- A ruling by a state appeals court Thursday upheld a lower court decision rejecting a 19-year-old woman's request to regain a baby she put up for adoption.

The appeals court said the lower court was correct in denying Barbara Landry's contention that the Edna Gladney home had used "undue influence' to pursuade her to sign the papers giving her baby up for adoption.

"There simply is no evidence in this record that the Edna Gladney Home overcame the will of appellant or tricked, outwitted, or cheated her into doing anything she would not otherwise have done,' the three-judge appeals court panel said in rendering its decision Thursday.

William M. Schur, attorney for the Edna Gladney Home, called the decision a "total victory' for his client's legal position in the case.

Michael W. Berg, Miss Landry's attorney said the appeal court's decision was"not unexpected,' and said he will file a motion for a rehearing.

"If that fails, which I expect it to, then we'll take the next step,' of taking the case to the state supreme court, Berg said.

On Feb. 14, Miss Landry signed the papers giving up her four-day-old daughter for adoption. She changed her mind on Feb. 23 and went to court to obtain the baby from its adopted parents.

A Fort Worth state district court judge denied that request April 19.