Aggregated News
In a classic 1960 children's book, a baby bird toddles up to one critter after another asking, "Are you my mother?"
For some babies today, there's no simple answer - biologically or legally.
Advances in artificial reproductive technologies, mean a baby could have three "mothers" - the genetic mother, the birth mother and the intended parent, who may be a woman or a man.
Mother here may not be mother there. Mother now may not be mother later. Statutes on surrogacy, adoption, divorce and inheritance vary state by state, court by court, decision by decision. For non-traditional couples, the patchwork of laws makes it even more complex. New York allows gay marriage but forbids surrogacy, while Utah permits surrogacy but bans gay marriage.
In the complex cases of 21st-century family formation, challenges abound. Courts are struggling to sort through these complications. Examples:
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday said it would hear challenges to the federal Defense of Marriage Act and California's Proposition 8 ban. Rulings in those cases, likely by late June, could decide whether same-sex married...
For some babies today, there's no simple answer - biologically or legally.
Advances in artificial reproductive technologies, mean a baby could have three "mothers" - the genetic mother, the birth mother and the intended parent, who may be a woman or a man.
Mother here may not be mother there. Mother now may not be mother later. Statutes on surrogacy, adoption, divorce and inheritance vary state by state, court by court, decision by decision. For non-traditional couples, the patchwork of laws makes it even more complex. New York allows gay marriage but forbids surrogacy, while Utah permits surrogacy but bans gay marriage.
In the complex cases of 21st-century family formation, challenges abound. Courts are struggling to sort through these complications. Examples:
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday said it would hear challenges to the federal Defense of Marriage Act and California's Proposition 8 ban. Rulings in those cases, likely by late June, could decide whether same-sex married...