Yopp v. Batt

467 N.W.2d 868 (1991)

From our private database of 46,400+ case briefs, written and edited by humans—never with AI.

Yopp v. Batt

Nebraska Supreme Court
467 N.W.2d 868 (1991)

  • Written by Haley Gintis, JD

Facts

In 1989, 15-year-old Heather C. Yopp (plaintiff) became pregnant. Yopp informed her mother, Connie Howat, that she wanted to terminate the pregnancy. Yopp and Howat met with Dr. LaBenz for an abortion. LaBenz informed Yopp that she was too far along to terminate. Yopp later told LaBenz that she wanted to pursue adoption. LaBenz suggested that she contact an attorney with whom he had previously worked, Lawrence I. Batt (defendant). Yopp and Howat met with Batt. Batt spoke to Yopp about her options. Yopp stated that she wanted to pursue a closed adoption. On January 3, 1990, Yopp gave birth. Two days later, Yopp told Batt that she had changed her mind and wanted an open adoption. Batt informed Yopp that it was too late to request an open adoption and met with her to obtain her signature on the relinquishment papers. At multiple times during this meeting, Batt confirmed with Yopp that she wanted to proceed with the adoption. Yopp stated that she fully intended to relinquish her parental rights and that she did not need to consult a counselor. The next day, Batt delivered the child to the prospective adoptive parents. Yopp then told Howat that she regretted pursuing adoption. On January 17, Yopp and her family met with Batt and requested the child be returned. Batt refused to provide assistance. Yopp filed a writ of habeas corpus for the return of the child on the ground that the relinquishment was invalid. The district court denied the application. The matter was appealed.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (White, J.)

What to do next…

  1. Unlock this case brief with a free (no-commitment) trial membership of Quimbee.

    You’ll be in good company: Quimbee is one of the most widely used and trusted sites for law students, serving more than 832,000 law students since 2011. Some law schools even subscribe directly to Quimbee for all their law students.

  2. Learn more about Quimbee’s unique (and proven) approach to achieving great grades at law school.

    Quimbee is a company hell-bent on one thing: helping you get an “A” in every course you take in law school, so you can graduate at the top of your class and get a high-paying law job. We’re not just a study aid for law students; we’re the study aid for law students.

Here's why 832,000 law students have relied on our case briefs:

  • Written by law professors and practitioners, not other law students. 46,400 briefs, keyed to 994 casebooks. Top-notch customer support.
  • The right amount of information, includes the facts, issues, rule of law, holding and reasoning, and any concurrences and dissents.
  • Access in your classes, works on your mobile and tablet. Massive library of related video lessons and high quality multiple-choice questions.
  • Easy to use, uniform format for every case brief. Written in plain English, not in legalese. Our briefs summarize and simplify; they don’t just repeat the court’s language.

Access this case brief for FREE

With a 7-day free trial membership
Here's why 832,000 law students have relied on our case briefs:
  • Reliable - written by law professors and practitioners, not other law students
  • The right length and amount of information - includes the facts, issue, rule of law, holding and reasoning, and any concurrences and dissents
  • Access in your class - works on your mobile and tablet
  • 46,400 briefs - keyed to 994 casebooks
  • Uniform format for every case brief
  • Written in plain English - not in legalese and not just repeating the court's language
  • Massive library of related video lessons - and practice questions
  • Top-notch customer support

Access this case brief for FREE

With a 7-day free trial membership