Shirley Smith stands with her mother, Betty Alice Phillips, and father, Melvin David Smith, outside of the courtroom while Superior Judge Fred Miller decides on a home for her after her divorced parents declare they do not want custody, Los Angeles, 1947
Access to this collection is generously supported by Arcadia funds. Shirley Smith, 14, and her brother Donald Smith, 11, were "abandoned" after their mother, Betty Alice Phillips, and father, Melvin D. Smith, both declared that they were unable to care for the children. The father, Mr. Smith, stated that he was re-married and had three children from his second wife. He asked to be relieved of custody because the two sets of children did not get along. Mrs. Phillips asked to be relieved of custody because she was in the process of divorcing her second husband and did not have a home to provide the children. Ultimately, Mrs. Phillips secured a home from her estranged husband and agreed to keep custody of the children. Superior Judge Fred Miller awarded custody to Mrs. Phillips. Handwritten annotation from nitrate negative: Betty Alice Phillips, Shirley Smith, Melvin David Smith.
Type
image
Format
b&w nitrate negative
Identifier
ark:/21198/zz00280rrd
Language
No linguistic content
Subject
Judicial proceedings--California--Los Angeles People Abandoned children--California--Los Angeles Legal Smith, Melvin David Phillips, Betty Alice Smith, Shirley
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