SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. -
A Bedford County judge has ruled that pretrial hearings will be open to the public in the case of a woman who sent her adopted Russian child back to his home country.
Torry Hansen was living in Shelbyville in April 2010 when she sent her then-7-year-old son on a plane to Moscow by himself with a note saying she didn't want to be his mother anymore because he had psychological problems.
Hansen's adoption agency, World Association for Children and Parents, filed the lawsuit seeking child support.
Hansen's attorney asked to exclude the media from hearings because of the young boy's juvenile status, but a group of eight media organizations opposed the motion.
Judge Lee Russell Monday ruled in favor of the media. He also instructed attorneys to try to reach an agreement on what related records to release.
In addition, Judge Russell said the young Russian boy and an official at the Russian adoption agency have been added to the lawsuit.
Hansen has since moved to California and her lawyer indicated Monday she would like to resolve the matter before going to trial so she would not have to return to Bedford County.
*The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Previous Stories:
- Oct. 27, 2011: Returned Russian boy could be added to lawsuit
- Oct. 13, 2011: Trial of lawsuit set in return of Russian boy
- July 30, 2010: Attorney: Returned Russian boy back in orphanage
- April 14, 2010: Driver says Russian boy seemed cheerful
- April 13, 2010: No charges yet against mom in adoption case
- April 12, 2010: Location crucial to charges in adoption case, DA says
- April 11, 2010: Questions continue to surround Shelbyville adoption gone wrong
- April 9, 2010: Local mother weighs in on Russian adoption process
- April 9, 2010: Shelbyville woman returns adopted son to Russia
