The judge in a wrongful death lawsuit says a millionaire's latest legal maneuver borders "on the surreal." Observers wonder if the man is trying to protect himself and some substantial assets from justice.

What's his legal ploy? The 48-year-old recently adopted his 42-year-old girlfriend. The millionaire is being sued by parents of a 23-year-old man killed in a car wreck far south of Charlotte.

The 2010 car crash was about 700 miles south of us, in Wellington, Florida. It's there that the millionaire allegedly drove drunk and killed the young man -- and reportedly sped away from the scene of the accident.

The millionaire's recent legal move to adopt his girlfriend of two years has brought him unwanted international attention and derision.

Analysts say the man has a $200 million trust fund set up for his two children; a fund he can't legally access. But because his newly "adopted daughter" is over the age of 35, she has access to a third of the funds.

The judge in the case is apparently stunned by the "unprecedented" move, stating that it takes "the court into a legal twilight zone."

However, for the purposes of the wrongful death lawsuit, the judge is considering the adoption legitimate.

A Florida adoption attorney of 27 years told a media source that the adoption of the 42-year-old girlfriend is "an an offensive abuse and manipulation of the law for financial gain."

The attorney said the adoption is "like marrying someone for citizenship...(it's) not a legitimate adoption."

The millionaire apparently inherited his fortune from his father, who was an air-conditioning manufacturing magnate.

This is a strange case many will be keeping their eyes on for some time to come.

Source: thestar.com: "Millionaire adopts girlfriend in 'surreal' legal move to allegedly protect assets," Alyshah Hasham, Feb. 2, 2012