Happy Birthday Jack!

Jack:

3 years have come and gone. Not a day goes by that we don't think of you and your sweet little soul. We ponder everyday wondering what you look like, what hobbies you like, what you are doing developmentally, and cringe at all of the memories we are missing out on with you. We love you to the moon and back and will continue to fight to be reunited! 

Happy 3rd Birthday! 

12.29.10!

We Love You, Jackson Michael Strickland!

Utah Legislation Session 2013

Utah is in full swing for their legislative session. There have been numerous adoption related bills. There are quite a few bills that we support, that will be helpful for protecting father's rights. We still have a long ways to go, but I think it's a start.

SB183 helps with pushing agencies, birthmoms or father's, or adoptive parents for commiting fraud. It can be punishable by revoking of the agency's license or can reap attorneys fees if fraud can be proven. Although, this is a good step it doesn't remove the fraud immunity statue in the law and the adoption would not solely be reveresed based on fraud. In Jake's case, we have OUTRIGHT fraud in multiple forms and it would still not bring Jake and Jack together.

SB155 is a bill for open adoption agreements to be enforceable. This will be a great tool for parents thinking to place and are made promises in return for their child. These promises should be upheld. Although, they made revisions to this bill and it will only apply to DCFS currently.

Here is a story Fox13 ran about the legislative bills and Jack's story.

Fox13 Clip


SALT LAKE CITY – A Utah senator has introduced legislation that would provide legal rights for the father of a child put up for adoption.
It’s a scenario you may be familiar with: a mother gives birth to her child and doesn’t tell the father when she gives up the baby for adoption. The dad is left with no legal rights because of a legal loophole, a legal loophole some say could cost a father his child, and a bill aimed at changing that was debated in a committee hearing Tuesday, that got very heated at times.
Some excerpts (a conversation between Senator Luz Robles, D-Salt Lake County, the sponsor of the adoption bill and the chair of the committee):
“It’s my bill Senator, point of order.”
“Thank you.”
“Senator, let me answer your question.”
“Wait, whoa whoa. Questions directed at the Chair. I don’t want badgering going on.”
“I didn’t get an answer to my question.”
Questions and concerns over the adoption bill left its fate in the hands of the committee, where it’s being held for now.
Wes Hutchins, an adoption attorney, says the legislation would have held adoption agencies more accountable. Hutchins claims some agencies encourage deception and lies.
“Adoption agencies coach Mothers on how to cut birth fathers out of the parenting picture,” Hutchins said.
However, lawmakers echoed several concerns saying, “We’re saying that after an adoption occurs in this bill, anyone can say a lie was told in the process?”
Despite strong testimony from Jennifer Graham, whose son has never meet his baby boy Jack because his birth mother gave him up for adoption without his knowledge, legislators said the current law would have protected him had filed for paternity before his child was born.
“He was told that if he did that he would never see his son,” said Jennifer Graham.
“Understood,” said one State Senator.
“That is in text message,” replied Graham.
“I can see that but the law would have worked if he would have filed. You’d have your grandson.”
The Committee did not vote on Senator Robles’ bill, instead deciding to bring it back another day during the session.

Next Step.

We have heard back from Judge Hamilton on the constitutionality motion. He has denied Jake's motion. He felt like Jake's constitutional rights were not violated and he did not file timely.

This means we will be moving on with appeals as we originally had planned. It is our belief the judge felt like he was not able to rule on constitutional rights at his court level. We have another 1-3 years of court battles ahead of us.

As you can imagine we are all physically, mentally, emotionally and financially exhausted. Any financial help would be greatly appreciated to help with the ongoing legal battle. You can donate at the paypal account located on the right side of this blog. Jake will not let money get in the way to fight until the end for his son.

We still have hope that the Utah Supreme Court will rule in our favor due to the constitutionality motion. We feel like if we can also get the law changed, there is a hope we can potentially be grandfathered in, but will most likely not happen.

We will be doing some fundraisers in the Spring, and would love any help we can get with donations, or volunteers.

Thank you so much for all of the continued support and prayers. We will never give up on Jackson. He deserves the right to have his father in his life.

Jackson, we will be with you one day, we are hoping it's not when you turn 18, but nonetheless we will be with you! We Love You.

A Christmas Blessing?

We will be heading back to court on December 19th, back in front of Judge Hamilton. There had been some disagreeing on some issues when Larry Jenkins submitted the order to the court, and Judge Hamilton wanted to conduct a hearing. We feel like this is a good sign. We aren't sure quite what to expect from this hearing, but think we may have a chance to argue about the constitutionality motion as well as the 5th amendment right motion. This is a great time to argue about Jake's constitutional rights being violated due to the recent ruling in Ramsey Shaud's decision from the Utah Supreme Court and speaking about the due process in his case. We have strong faith and hope that Jack and Jake will be re-united in the very near future.

For anyone looking to attend, here are the details:

Farmington Court

Judge Hamilton

December 19th, 2012

2:30 PM

800 West State Street

Farmington, Utah

 

Thank you for the continued support. Throughout this tragic journey we have met some wonderful people that have kept us going when the light is dim. It's been almost 2 years since Jack has made his entrance into this world and we are blessed that he is here, and can't wait for the day we get to meet him.

 

LBBJH

(Let's Bring Baby Jack Home)

Utah Adoption Council President Resigns...

SALT LAKE CITY
By: Lori Prichard
— The president of the Utah Adoption Council resigned Tuesday amid controversy over claims the council is working to undermine the rights of birth fathers. Wes Hutchins was to serve another month as president of the Ut ah Adoption Council (UAC) — a group consisting of adoption agencies, adoption attorneys, families, and birth mothers and fathers. Instead, he's founded a new nonprofit organization he says will work in the best interests of all parties in adoptions. There was certainly friction in Tuesday's council meeting, as some representing adoption agencies accused Hutchins of having his own agenda. In turn, he pointed fingers at them for not acting ethically in administering adoptions. "I'm a big proponent of adoptions, but I firmly believe they need to be done legally, constitutionally and ethically." –Wes Hutchins, former UAC president "I'm an adoption attorney. I've done over 1,080 adoptions, (and) finalized six adoptions on Friday of last week alone," Hutchins said, following the meeting. "I'm a big proponent of adoptions, but I firmly believe they need to be done legally, constitutionally and ethically." Hutchins pointed to what he calls "egregious cases of fraud," namely: the case of Christopher Carlton, who was told by the birth mother that his child had died, and the case of Robert Manzanares, who was told by the birth mother she was traveling from Colorado to Utah to visit relatives when she was actually giving up their child. These cases, and many like them, provide evidence, Hutchins said, that birth mothers should be held accountable. "That's one of the changes that we need to make: that fraud is no longer accepted as a method of taking a child from one home, destroying a family, and placing (the child) in another home to create another family," he said. That opinion conflicts with others who sit on the UAC. "Wes has had a different vision of what's best for children in the state of Utah," said attorney David Hardy, also a former president of the UAC. Hardy, whose clients include adoption agencies and adoptive parents, said Hutchins isn't as focused on what's best for the child. "Wes has taken more of the approach of some of the rights of fathers. He's taken some real strong positions on fathers that are, in many ways, inconsistent with Utah code." –David Hardy, former UAC president "Wes has taken more of the approach of some of the rights of fathers," Hardy said. "He's taken some real strong positions on fathers that are, in many ways, inconsistent with Utah code." "There's been a very choreographed effort to sweep birth fathers and others under the rug," Hutchins said. And some of those birth fathers were present and vocal. "I do have a voice, and it needs to be heard," said Jake Strickland, a father currently fighting for custody of his child. "There's two sides to every story," added Bobby Nevares, a man in the same situation as Strickland, "but they didn't want to hear the father's side." Hutchins said the council didn't really want to hear his side either and accused him of having an agenda. "If you want to call that ‘an agenda,' then absolutely, call it an agenda. And that agenda is to see that we have a balanced approach in Utah to how we're doing adoptions," Hutchins said. It's clear this father's right is a hot-button issue among the council. Today's meeting was certainly tense as each side traded accusations.