Friday, March 27, 2009

Two Dads on a Birth Certificate

A federal judge has ruled that Louisiana has 15 days to add the names of both fathers to the birth certificate of a boy born in Shreveport and adopted by a gay couple from out-of-state.

The state is asking the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the ruling by U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey, and to halt the order, state Attorney General Buddy Caldwell said.

He wrote in a brief e-mailed statement:"The federal district court has significantly misinterpreted Louisiana vital records law, forcing Louisiana to import and adopt New York law."

Oren Adar and Mickey Ray Smith, who now live in San Diego, but adopted the boy in New York state, want both their names on his birth certificate.

State officials say that's illegal because, under Louisiana law, two single people cannot adopt a child. Zainey ruled in December that because the adoption became formal in New York, the Office of Vital Records must recognize that state's adoption law on the matter.

New York officials decided in January that same-sex couples could list both names on their children's birth certificates.

Full Article and Source:
La. must add 2 dads' names to birth certificate

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Adoption has become so complicated that couples are going to other countries to adopt.

Our children are left in orphanages.

Anonymous said...

You're right, Anonymous. We claim to care about children, yet we make it almost impossible for homeless children to find a home.