domestic partnership or civil union in one
of these states, the other partner should
be presumed to be the child's other legal
parent. This is an important protection for
a nonbiological parent's relationship with
his or her child. At the same time, a formal
adoption as well is a very good idea
because many families move and most at
least travel to other states -- and all
states must respect adoption judgments.
If your family were to travel to a state
that does not recognize the domestic
partnership, your partner might run a
substantial risk of not being recognized as
the baby’s other parent. In a case like
that, an adoption judgment would
provide protection that the domestic
partnership would not. If you need help learning about the laws governing
adoption in your state or would like more information, contact Lambda Legal's
Help Desk toll-free at 866-542-8336.
CLICK HERE for more Lambda Legal info.
of these states, the other partner should
be presumed to be the child's other legal
parent. This is an important protection for
a nonbiological parent's relationship with
his or her child. At the same time, a formal
adoption as well is a very good idea
because many families move and most at
least travel to other states -- and all
states must respect adoption judgments.
If your family were to travel to a state
that does not recognize the domestic
partnership, your partner might run a
substantial risk of not being recognized as
the baby’s other parent. In a case like
that, an adoption judgment would
provide protection that the domestic
partnership would not. If you need help learning about the laws governing
adoption in your state or would like more information, contact Lambda Legal's
Help Desk toll-free at 866-542-8336.
CLICK HERE for more Lambda Legal info.
| . |
www.ambiente.us JANUARY | ENERO 2010
Ask Lambda Legal – Partners and Parents |Parejas y padres
By Tara Borelli, Staff Attorney
Q | My partner and I live in Washington State. I have gone through several
rounds of fertility treatments and we now eagerly await the birth of our first
child. But I want to make sure my partner is recognized alongside me as the
baby’s legal parent. Now that voters have upheld Washington's expanded
domestic partnership law, we are considering registering. Would registering
provide my partner with legal rights to our child?
A | Planning for the birth of a child is always an exciting and scary experience
for any parent –will we always be able to keep our child safe? Will we be able
to save for his or her education? And for lesbian and gay couples, will we both
be recognized as the baby’s legal parents?
Fortunately, the answer to your question is yes in the state of Washington.
Many states have laws that create a presumption of parenthood for married
couples. That means that when a married woman gives birth to a child, her
husband is legally presumed to be the father of that child, whether or not he is
the biological parent. We believe this type of presumption must apply equally
to same-sex couples who are registered in states
with broad domestic partnership or civil unions,
including Washington, California, Oregon,
Nevada and New Jersey. In other words, if a
child is born to one partner in a state-registered
Ask Lambda Legal – Partners and Parents |Parejas y padres
By Tara Borelli, Staff Attorney
Q | My partner and I live in Washington State. I have gone through several
rounds of fertility treatments and we now eagerly await the birth of our first
child. But I want to make sure my partner is recognized alongside me as the
baby’s legal parent. Now that voters have upheld Washington's expanded
domestic partnership law, we are considering registering. Would registering
provide my partner with legal rights to our child?
A | Planning for the birth of a child is always an exciting and scary experience
for any parent –will we always be able to keep our child safe? Will we be able
to save for his or her education? And for lesbian and gay couples, will we both
be recognized as the baby’s legal parents?
Fortunately, the answer to your question is yes in the state of Washington.
Many states have laws that create a presumption of parenthood for married
couples. That means that when a married woman gives birth to a child, her
husband is legally presumed to be the father of that child, whether or not he is
the biological parent. We believe this type of presumption must apply equally
to same-sex couples who are registered in states
with broad domestic partnership or civil unions,
including Washington, California, Oregon,
Nevada and New Jersey. In other words, if a
child is born to one partner in a state-registered
| . |
| . |
P | Yo vivo con mi pareja en el estado de Washington. Estuve bajo varios
tratamientos de fertilidad y ahora esperamos el nacimiento de nuestro primer
hijo. Pero quiero asegurarme de que mi pareja sea reconocida junto a mí
como la madre legal del niño. Ahora que los votantes han apoyado la ley
ampliada de parejas domésticas de Washington, consideramos registrarnos.
¿Puede este registro proporcionar a mi pareja derechos legales sobre nuestro
niño?
R | Planear el nacimiento de un niño siempre es una experiencia que
emociona y que asusta al mismo tiempo para cualquier padre – ¿seremos
capaces de mantener a nuestro niño seguro? ¿Podremos ahorrar para su
educación? Y para las parejas lesbianas y gays: seremos reconocidos los dos
como padres legales del niño?
Afortunadamente para ti, en el estado de Washington la respuesta es “sí.”
Muchos estados tienen leyes que crean una presunción de paternidad para
matrimonios. Eso significa que cuando una casada da a luz un niño, se presume
que su marido es el padre, sin importar si es el padre biológico o no. Creemos
que este tipo de presunción debe aplicarse igualmente a las parejas del
mismo sexo registradas en estados con leyes amplias de parejas domésticas o
de uniones civiles, entre ellos Washington, California, Oregon, Nevada y New
Jersey. Es decir, si nace un niño de un miembro de una pareja doméstica
reconocida por uno de estos estados, se debe presumir que el otro miembro
es el padre/madre legal. Esto significa una protección muy importante para la
relación entre el niño y el padre no biológico. A la misma vez, una adopción
formal sigue siendo una buena idea ya que muchas familias se mudan y la
| . |
mayoría por lo menos viajan a otros estados – y todos los estados deben
respetar los decretos de adopción. Si tu familia viajara a un estado que no
reconociera tu pareja doméstica, tu pareja puede correr un riesgo bien fuerte
de no ser reconocida como la madre del niño. En tal caso, un decreto de
adopción proporcionaría la protección que la ley de parejas domésticas no
podría proporcionar.
Si necesitas ayuda para aprender más sobre las leyes sobre adopción en tu
estado o te gustaría más información, ponte en contacto con la Línea de
Ayuda de Lambda Legal gratuita en el 866-542-8336.
Copyright 2010 © Lambda Legal & AMBIENTE MAGAZINE.
Do not reproduce without citing this source
respetar los decretos de adopción. Si tu familia viajara a un estado que no
reconociera tu pareja doméstica, tu pareja puede correr un riesgo bien fuerte
de no ser reconocida como la madre del niño. En tal caso, un decreto de
adopción proporcionaría la protección que la ley de parejas domésticas no
podría proporcionar.
Si necesitas ayuda para aprender más sobre las leyes sobre adopción en tu
estado o te gustaría más información, ponte en contacto con la Línea de
Ayuda de Lambda Legal gratuita en el 866-542-8336.
Copyright 2010 © Lambda Legal & AMBIENTE MAGAZINE.
Do not reproduce without citing this source
| . |
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