Sheryl Norris, Appellant v. Ashley Davis, Appellee

Summary

The court affirmed the circuit court's dismissal of Norris's effort to set aside a court-approved family-settlement agreement and vacated the court of appeals' opinion. Norris abandoned any challenge to the circuit court's determination that res judicata barred relitigation of paternity and inheritance entitlement, leaving only whether discovery should have been permitted to develop the fraud claim. Because the underlying claims were barred, discovery to support them could have no practical legal effect and was therefore moot. Justice Karen R. Baker, dissenting, would have held that the settlement order was void because the circuit court did not investigate whether the compromise benefited the minors.