State of Oregon Backs Out of Suit Against Canadian Mother

Unfairly losing her young son to a foreign government wasn't enough--they wanted her to pay the bill, too.

Photo: wallpapersphere.com

(CALGARY / SALEM) - In June, a Canadian boy who had been taken by the state of Oregon was returned to his mother, after two years and a long, hard-fought fight. For the mom, being sued to pay for the costs of holding her son in foster care in the U.S. despite his being a Canadian citizen was... incomprehensible.

The state of Oregon must not have been terribly surprised that, after everything her family had been through, Lisa Kirkman was not going to agree to the child care bill.

Judge G.J. Burrell first heard the case in Calgary Provincial Court September 14, 2010, but adjourned it for several months.

Then, today, in an unexpected move, the State of Oregon dropped its action against Calgary mother Lisa Kirkman. In fact, an agent for the State of Oregon appeared before the court to withdraw the lawsuit altogether.

"It seems the State of Oregon has a sense of shame after all," commented Daniel Mol, lawyer for Lisa Kirkman. "The public pressure on them must have been enormous. And, really, what was there to gain from chasing a single mother?"

The amount stated in the suit was $7500, but experts say that the final figure would have been enormously higher, had the case gone forward. It had been set out until December 14th, but was seen in advance, once the state of Oregon sent the letter of intention to drop its lawsuit.

"I am completely relieved," added Kirkman. "We thought our ordeal was over when Noah finally came home, but to have this lawsuit hanging over our heads added insult to injury. It's a big weight off my shoulders. And I want to thank my legal team - Daniel Mol who's taking on the State of Oregon, and Tony Merchant, who helped me bring Noah home."

"With this out of the way, we will be suing the State of Oregon in the U.S. for compensation for Lisa and Noah, and to send the message that you don't mess with Canadians," Mol confirmed.

"We want Canadians stranded abroad to know they're not alone. There is a network of professionals who want to help. If your loved one is stranded in a foreign country, let us know."

In 2008, Lisa Kirkman sent her ten-year-old son to Oregon for the summer. Shortly afterwards, Noah was apprehended by social workers and the family's nightmare began.

The boy was held in foster care in Oregon for almost two years while his mother fought to get him back, the world watching. Noah was finally returned to Canada in June 2010.

Read the complete story of Noah's abduction by the state of Oregon (5/9/2010):
A Mother's Nightmare: Oregon Judge Holds Canadian Child Without Cause

SOURCE: Mol Advocates