Gregory Kingsley

A 12-year-old boy went to court Thursday seeking a "divorce" from his parents. Gregory Kingsley sat in the courtroom with members of the foster family that he hopes to live with permanently. His mother, Rachel Kingsley, cried as she denied allegations that she abused, neglected and abandoned him for most of his life. In the past eight years, Gregory has lived with her for seven months.

A judge on Friday ruled in favor of a 12-year-old boy who set a legal precedent by going to court to "divorce" the biological parents he said had mistreated and abandoned him. Circuit Judge Thomas S. Kirk told Gregory Kingsley that he was now formally adopted by his foster parents. "Gregory, you're the son of Mr. and Mrs. Russ at this moment," he said as people in the courtroom broke into applause. Gregory leaped to hug his new parents and four of his new siblings.

A judge on Friday ruled in favor of a 12-year-old boy who set a legal precedent by going to court to "divorce" the biological parents he said had mistreated and abandoned him. Circuit Judge Thomas S. Kirk told Gregory Kingsley that he was now formally adopted by his foster parents. "Gregory, you're the son of Mr. and Mrs. Russ at this moment," he said as people in the courtroom broke into applause. Gregory leaped to hug his new parents and four of his new siblings.

A 12-year-old boy went to court Thursday seeking a "divorce" from his parents. Gregory Kingsley sat in the courtroom with members of the foster family that he hopes to live with permanently. His mother, Rachel Kingsley, cried as she denied allegations that she abused, neglected and abandoned him for most of his life. In the past eight years, Gregory has lived with her for seven months.

Briefly Told: Jenny Jones' syndicated talk show has been renewed for a third season, and Vicki Lawrence has received the go-ahead for a second year of her daily talk-entertainment series. . . . Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford will be in Los Angeles during the first week of February to tape several segments of their talk show. . . . The story of Gregory Russ (a.k.a. Gregory Kingsley), who successfully sued his natural parents so he could be adopted by his foster family, will be told Feb.

A juvenile court judge on Wednesday delayed the hearing for a 13-year-old girl who is seeking legal separation from her mother and her stepfather. Inspired by a recent Florida case in which a 12-year-old boy won a court battle to legally separate from his parents, the girl hopes a "divorce" from her mother will open the way for her uncle and aunt to adopt her.

Clutching pink mums, 11-year-old Jenny Yang hugged the woman she considers her mother after a judge ruled Friday that she never again has to see her biological parents. "That's where I belong," the sixth-grader said at a news conference. "I'm looking forward to returning to a more normal life with my family and friends."

Billy's mother was frequently drunk and had difficulty controlling her 13-year-old son. Then she discovered a sure-fire technique: She committed him to a mental hospital near their Bay Area home. He remained locked up for 2 1/2 months, even when doctors declared the boy was the more stable of the two. No one but his mother had the right to release him. Finally last year, Billy ran away.

It happens almost every day to Linda Otto. Someone close to her or a colleague on one of her projects will look at her and say, "Is something wrong? Are you always this intense? Why don't you lighten up?" After all, they apparently reason, Otto--though not exactly a household name--is a prominent producer and director of television movies. One of her films aired earlier this season, she has two more this month and many more projects in the works. Her movies have won numerous awards.