Guardianship of Coughlin

Respondent John H. Coughlin was by order of the Superior Court of San Bernardino County, on November 25, 1949, appointed guardian of the two minors here involved. Thelma Ruth Coughlin (petitioner and appellant herein) filed objections to the petition of Dr. Coughlin in the guardianship proceeding and by counterpetition asked that she be appointed guardian of both children. The trial court denied her petition and found that the general welfare of the two children would be best served under the guardianship of Dr. Coughlin. Thelma Ruth Coughlin appealed from the orders in that proceeding and they were affirmed on appeal. (In re Coughlin, 101 Cal.App.2d 727 [ 226 P.2d 46 ].)

At the time the guardianship proceeding was heard in the superior court a divorce action between the parties was pending, filed by Mrs. Coughlin on September 4, 1948. She sought custody of the children in her divorce action and by application for an order pendente lite. This application was heard at the same time as the guardianship matter and denied by the trial court.

One of the children (Mary Dianne Coughlin) was adopted by appellant and respondent in 1942 and in 1947 they filed a joint petition for the…