Washington state supreme court recogizes same sex parents

Parents Forum Parent Cafe
#1

<p>
[quote]
Olympia, Washington) The Supreme Court in the state of Washington on Thursday recognized for the first time co-parenting rights in same-sex relationships.
The court ruled that a woman who raised a child from birth to age 6 while in a relationship with the girl's biological mother can seek rights as a "de facto parent." </p>

<p>"Today we hold that our common law recognizes the status of de facto parents and places them in parity with biological and adoptive parents in our state," the court, led by Justice Bobbe J. Bridge, wrote in the 7-2 decision.</p>

<p>"Neither the United States Supreme Court nor this court has ever held that 'family' or 'parents' are terms limited in their definition by a strict biological prerequisite."</p>

<p>The ruling makes Washington the second state, after California earlier this year, to hold that both members of a same-sex couple are automatically the legal parents of a child born to them, without the need for an adoption.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>cool huh?
I may even get to attend my daughters wedding some day!</p>

#2

<p>I've got to give a lot of thought to this decision. I don't know if I agree with it because I have anxiety about courts intervening in some family issues in which the parties are too spiteful to amicably resolve themselves. I've always felt that the government has no right to tell anyone who and who is not their "family" member.</p>

<p>From another perspective, when the couple decided that they would start a family, why couldn't they just agree that the non-biological parent would adopt the child? And if genetic bond is the ruling doctrine when a divorcing step-parent seeks parental rights, why is it different for same sex couples? The law [new laws] should compel these folks to commit to their own agreement before they enter such situations.</p>

#3

<p>The Court's analysis of law is horrible. Forgetting that for a moment, a footnote to the opinion says the sperm donor subsequently married the biological mother. It looks like Washington Courts are the ones who get to decided "Whose your Daddy?"</p>

#4

<p>I hope they have the same feeling when being considered a parent means paying child support. Tunes can change when $$$ is on the line.</p>

#5