Forfeiture of damages distributable to parent or stepparent for desertion or neglect.

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(a) The person who would be benefited by the forfeiture is a child or sibling of the decedent, the decedent was an adult when the decedent died and:

(A) The parent or stepparent of the decedent willfully deserted the decedent for the one-year period immediately preceding the date on which the decedent became an adult; or

(B) The parent or stepparent neglected without just and sufficient cause to provide proper care and maintenance for the decedent for the one-year period immediately preceding the date on which the decedent became an adult.

(b) The person who would be benefited by the forfeiture is not a child or sibling of the decedent, the decedent was an adult when the decedent died and:

(A) The parent or stepparent of the decedent willfully deserted the decedent for the three-year period immediately preceding the date on which the decedent became an adult; or

(B) The parent or stepparent neglected without just and sufficient cause to provide proper care and maintenance for the decedent for the three-year period immediately preceding the date on which the decedent became an adult.

(c) The person who would be benefited by the forfeiture is a child or sibling of the decedent, the decedent was a minor when the decedent died and:

(A) The parent or stepparent of the decedent willfully deserted the decedent for the life of the decedent or for the one-year period immediately preceding the date on which the decedent died; or

(B) The parent or stepparent neglected without just and sufficient cause to provide proper care and maintenance for the decedent for the life of the decedent or for the one-year period immediately preceding the date on which the decedent died.

(d) The person who would be benefited by the forfeiture is not a child or sibling of the decedent, the decedent was a minor when the decedent died and:

(A) The parent or stepparent of the decedent willfully deserted the decedent for the life of the decedent or for the three-year period immediately preceding the date on which the decedent died; or

(B) The parent or stepparent neglected without just and sufficient cause to provide proper care and maintenance for the decedent for the life of the decedent or for the three-year period immediately preceding the date on which the decedent died.

(e) The parental rights of the parent with respect to the decedent were terminated and the parent-child relationship between the parent and the decedent was not judicially reestablished.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, the court may disregard incidental visitations, communications and contributions in determining whether a parent or stepparent willfully deserted the decedent or neglected without just and sufficient cause to provide proper care and maintenance for the decedent.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, in determining whether the parent or stepparent willfully deserted the decedent or neglected without just and sufficient cause to provide proper care and maintenance for the decedent, the court may consider whether a custodial parent or other custodian attempted, without good cause, to prevent or to impede contact between the decedent and the parent or stepparent whose damages would be forfeited under this section.

(4) The forfeiture provisions of subsection (1) of this section apply to a stepparent only if the stepparent had an obligation to provide support for the decedent under ORS 108.045.

(5) The distribution of damages to a parent or stepparent of a decedent may be forfeited under this section only pursuant to an order of the court entered after the filing of a petition under ORS 30.065. A petition filed under ORS 113.035 may not request the forfeiture of damages distributable to a parent or stepparent of a decedent under this section. [2019 c.461 §2]


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