Marriage Equality Rulings Lead to Expansion of Adoption Rights
The glorious spate of rulings in favor of marriage equality last week is also leading to an expansion of adoption and second-parent adoption rights.
Protecting
New Hampshire Mom Wins Legal Right to Her Daughter
A nonbiological mother is the legal parent of her daughter, the New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled last week, in yet another unfortunate instance of a biological mother trying to claim otherwise.
Birth Certificates for Kids of Same-Sex Parents: All Over the Map
Three recent stories about same-sex parents trying to obtain accurate birth certificates for their children underscore the obstacles and confusion we often face in trying to protect our families.
From Coast to Coast, Changing Laws to Protect Our Families
A new law in Washington, D.C. is drawing lesbian couples from other jurisdictions to give birth there — and a bill making its way through the California legislature could simplify the paperwork and clarify parenting arrangements for same-sex couples in that state.
Lesbian and Gay Parents and Bias in Child Custody Cases
A new academic review has surveyed the legal landscape for lesbian and gay parents in child custody cases, both with same-sex former partners and different-sex ones. It found that courts have not always taken into consideration the social science research that has found children raised by gay or lesbian parents are as well-adjusted as their peers
Second-Parent Adoptions Ruled Legal in Idaho
Great news from Idaho this morning: The state Supreme Court ruled yesterday that a person can petition to do a second-parent adoption of another’s child, even if the two adults are not married.
New York Court Ruling Endangers Same-Sex Parents Under Claim of Equality
Right after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last June that the federal government must recognize marriages of same-sex couples, I warned that this was not a reason for us to stop getting second-parent adoptions. Now, a New York judge has shown she just doesn’t understand that. Moms Amalia and Melissa had their son in New York,
Colorado Court Says Nonbio Mom Can Be a Parent
The Colorado Court of Appeals has ruled that a child can have two parents of the same sex, even if they have not done a second-parent adoption. This is good news—but behind it is yet another case of a biological mother trying to deny parental rights to a nonbiological mother.
An Epic Win for Marriage — and a Caution for Same-Sex Parents
My 10-year-old son throws around the word “epic” on a daily basis. His newest Pokémon card? Epic. His latest zombie-defeating battle in Minecraft, his favorite online game? Epic. The word seemed in danger of losing its original clout—and then the U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). That, I told him, was epic.
BREAKING: Kansas Supreme Court Recognizes Non-Bio Parents
Great news out of Kansas this afternoon. In a case involving two lesbian moms, the state Supreme Court ruled that a non-biological mother may be recognized as a parent under the law.
