New Standards for Same-Sex Parents and their Attorneys in Custody Disputes

If you’ve been following news about LGBT parents for any length of time, you’ve probably come across at least one, if not several, examples of custody cases in which a biological parent tries to deny custody to a former same-sex partner and non-biological parent, claiming that the latter is not really a parent to the child. The long-running case of Janet Jenkins and Lisa Miller is the most well known example of the type. (In less frequent instances, a legal adoptive parent will try to do the same to the non-adoptive parent.)

To try and stop this practice, Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD), the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), and NCLR’s National Family Law Advisory Council have just published a revised set of standards for attorneys and parents to adhere to in custody disputes.

The standards also offer suggestions for things to do to protect your families, even if you remain together—regardless of whether you live in a state that recognizes the relationships of same-sex couples. GLAD has also posted online pledges, for both parents and attorneys to sign, affirming that they will adhere to the standards.

I’ve covered this in more detail for Keen News Service; I hope you’ll go have a read.