‘The Blind Side’ Parents Sean And Leigh Anne Tuohy Claim They Never Intended To Adopt Michael Oher

etcanada.com:

Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy claim in new court docs that they referred to the NFL alum as a ‘son’ in the ‘colloquial sense.’ Sean Tuohy and Leigh Anne Tuohy have filed a response to Michael Oher‘s lawsuit.

In the new legal documents, which ET obtained, the Tuohys deny Michael’s claim that they lied about adopting him and tricked him into making them his conservators in order to profit off of his story.

Rather, in the Tuohys’ response, the couple claims “they never intended to, and in fact never did, take any assumed legal custody” of Michael when they took him in as a teenager.

Further, they “vehemently deny” that they told Michael “that they intended to legally adopt him.” Even so, the Tuohys admit that they “occasionally referred to [Michael] as a son” and have “always felt [he] was like a son.” However, the Tuohys alleged that the word “son” was used “in the colloquial sense.” “They have never intended that reference to be viewed with legal implication,” the docs read, adding that they “vehemently deny” that the use of the word “son” caused Michael “any irreparable harm, loss, either past present or future or damages.” As for why the Tuohys went the conservatorship route in Michael’s case, the couple claims that it all began when the then-teen was presented with the “opportunity to play college football.” “There was never an intent to adopt him,” the docs read. “When it became the petitioner could not consider going to the University of Mississippi as a result of living with the respondents, the NCAA made it clear that the only way he could attend the Ole Miss [was] if he was part of the Tuohy family in some fashion.