surrogate

August 23, 2017

Israel to Hear Arguments on Surrogacy for Same-Sex Couples

blog_rainbowflag1-300x199 While surrogacy is not legal in many parts of the world, there are also countries, like Israel, that allow some, but not all citizens, to become parents through surrogacy. Under current Israeli law, only heterosexual partners can enter surrogacy agreements, with an amendment in the works that would allow single woman to legally use surrogacy. This means that in Israel, same-sex couples and single men cannot become parents using a surrogate.

In 2015, two activist groups filed a petition to get rid of the ban on surrogacy for same-sex couples. The hearing was scheduled for July 20, 2017, but has been pushed back to September 19, 2017. The Israeli Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry has said they “will take the position that the prohibition on same-sex surrogacy is not about discrimination, and it is more complicated.” They are suggesting a complete redo of the current foster care system, and argue that “only after the reform should lawmakers be asked to change the laws in favor of additional groups.” Udi Ledergor, Chairman of the Associates of Israeli Gay Fathers, said “We will continue to fight until we have removed the darkness and discrimination.” Check back on our blog in the coming months for more information on the Ministry’s decision, as it becomes available.

The attorneys of Harden Jackson Law are devoted to servicing clients in all areas of family law, including divorce, custody, child support, property division, paternity, post-divorce modifications, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, simple wills, adoption, surrogacy, and other areas of reproductive law. For more information, please contact us at 317.569.0770 or www.hardenjacksonlaw.com.

July 26, 2017

Celebrity Surrogacy Update!

by Harden Jackson, LLC

Many people know Cristiano Ronaldo from his excellent soccer skills, but few know he just became a father to twins through the help of a gestational surrogate! The surrogate gave birth just outside of San Diego, California to a girl and a boy named Eva and Mateo, pictured below.

Cristiano-Ronaldo-with-his-newborn-baby-twins-300x200
This is not the first-time Ronaldo has used surrogacy to build his family. His 7-year-old son Cristiano Jr. was also born through surrogacy. Ronaldo resorted to pursuing surrogacy in the United States because his home country, Portugal, does not permit legally single men to use surrogacy.

Ronaldo is not the first celebrity to have children through surrogacy. He joins other stars such as Tyra Banks, rs_1024x648-160508111011-1024-tyra-banks-son-mom-mothers-day-2016-050816-300x190

June 21, 2017

Nevada Updates Surrogacy and Adoption Laws

by Harden Jackson, LLC

nevada-43769_960_720-215x300 Nevada recently passed a new law that significantly improves surrogacy and adoption laws in the state. First, it gender neutralizes all adoption and assisted reproductive technology statutes. The law, effective July 1, 2017, will now refer to an “acknowledgment of paternity” as an “acknowledgment of parentage.” This strips away the old language and allows the law to recognize the variety of family types and structures that exist today. Nevada attorney Kimberly Mae Surratt, who helped get these laws passed, commented, “we gender neutralized every single statute in the State of Nevada and it was done with bipartisan support.” The changes in adoption laws include that petitioners to an adoption don’t have to live in the state of Nevada to adopt in the Nevada, which used to only allow non-residents petitioners to adopt if the child was in custody of an agency which provided child welfare services.

This new statue also expands the ability to obtain a parentage order in the state. In surrogacy arrangements, parentage orders can now be obtained in these situations: the child was born in Nevada or is anticipated to be born in Nevada; the Intended Parents reside in Nevada or resided there when the contract was executed; the Gestational Carrier resides in Nevada; the contract was executed in Nevada; and medical procedures were performed in Nevada. This long list of ways to obtain a parentage order largely facilitates the surrogacy process for all parties involved. Nevada is one of few states that have recently made large leaps in dispensing with old laws that address family building; replacing them with much more progressive ones.

The attorneys of Harden Jackson Law are devoted to servicing clients in all areas of family law, including divorce, custody, child support, property division, paternity, post-divorce modifications, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, simple wills, adoption, surrogacy, and other areas of reproductive law. For more information, please contact us at 317.569.0770 or www.hardenjacksonlaw.com.

June 14, 2017

D.C. Reverses 25-Year-Old Surrogacy Law

by Harden Jackson, LLC

This past April, the District of Columbia reversed a 25-year-old law that banned surrogacy contracts, which beforehand contracting with a surrogate was a criminal offense, and altruistic surrogacy could land you a $10,000 fine or even a year in jail. Laws are beginning to be updated as the meaning of family evolves and technology advances. D.C Council member Charles Allen stated, “In the District, we are a place where we respect all couples and how they choose to start a family.” This law permits intended parents to establish their legal parentage during the pregnancy, so their names can be printed listed on the birth certificate upon the child’s birth. As well as allowing intended parents to be paid for carrying their child. The law applies to any intended parent(s), whether single, married, gay, or straight.

The Council has set out a list of agreement guidelines that the parties must follow, including: the surrogate being over the age of 21 and having delivered her own child, both parties having independent counsel, and both parties passing a psychological evaluation. Several states still have minimal or no laws that regarding surrogacy. For example, while Indiana has an antiquated statute regarding the unenforceability of surrogacy contracts (click here to read more about this statute and why surrogacy agreements are nevertheless completed in Indiana) and no other statutory laws on surrogacy, Indiana has strong case law that provides a favorable environment for the establishment of parentage in children born through surrogacy.

The attorneys of Harden Jackson Law are devoted to servicing clients in all areas of family law, including divorce, custody, child support, property division, paternity, post-divorce modifications, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, simple wills, adoption, surrogacy, and other areas of reproductive law. For more information, please contact us at 317.569.0770 or www.hardenjacksonlaw.com.

April 10, 2017

The Supreme Court of Iceland to Rule on First Surrogacy Case

by Harden Jackson, LLC

In just a few short weeks, the Supreme Court of Iceland will rule on its first surrogacy case involving two women who wish to be recognized as the legal parents of their child born via gestational surrogacy. A U.S. surrogate carried the same-sex couple’s child, which was created using donor egg and sperm. The baby was born in 2013 and received a US passport and citizenship. The intended mothers established their legal parentage in the U.S., but things became complicated when the mothers tried to return to Iceland with the child. Surrogacy is illegal in Iceland, and when the mothers tried to register their child as an Icelandic citizen and themselves as the child’s legal parents, the National Registry of Iceland rejected the registration attempt. Although the child eventually received Icelandic citizenship and an identity number, the mothers sued the National Registry and the Icelandic State because they were only granted a fostering agreement rather than legal parentage.

This decision will have a great impact in Iceland because it will affect many couples and individuals who wish to have children through gestational surrogacy. This case also shows that in many countries, the laws are a bit lagging on how to address surrogacy. Make sure to stay tuned for a follow up blog post about the Supreme Court of Iceland’s decision.

The attorneys of Harden Jackson Law are devoted to servicing clients throughout the Indianapolis area and the state of Indiana in all areas family law, including divorce, custody, child support, property division, paternity, post-divorce modifications, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, simple wills, adoption, surrogacy and other areas of assisted reproductive technology law. For more information, please contact us at 317.569.0770 or www.hardenjacksonlaw.com.

December 2, 2016

Spain Gives Green Light for Paid Maternity Leave for Parents of Children Born Through Surrogacy

by Harden Jackson, LLC

Spain
Last month, the Supreme Court of Spain issued a landmark ruling that recognizes the right to paid maternity leave for parents of children born through surrogacy. Although gestational surrogacy is illegal in Spain, the Court held that the need to take care of children outweighs any legal barriers set forth by Spain’s surrogacy ban. The decision also extends various rights to mothers of children born through surrogacy, such as a reduced workday for nursing mothers and the right to take one year of unpaid leave after the maternity leave. Spaniards who seek to build their family through surrogacy must go abroad, and two such scenarios, one involving a surrogacy arrangement in the United States and the other in India, set this case in motion. In October, Spain’s congress also voted to equalize paternity and maternity leave, awarding fathers the same sixteen weeks of paid maternity leave that mothers receive.

The decision comes at a time when the issue of maternity benefits is in the spotlight in the United States. A New Jersey woman is suing her former employer, Verizon Network Solutions, for denying her paid maternity leave when she had children through surrogacy in 2013. Various arguments exist for both sides of the issue. For example, some posit that since mothers of children born to a gestational surrogate did not give birth, they do not need time to recover physically. This argument is often used to justify the denial of extended paternity leave for fathers. On the other hand, proponents of maternity benefits for mothers of children born through surrogacy contend that a new mom needs time to bond with the baby, especially when she did not carry the child.

Although the Verizon lawsuit is one of the first of its kind (there was a federal lawsuit to claim benefits for paid leave by a woman who had children through surrogacy in 2011, but the case was ultimately dismissed), this issue is likely to become more prevalent as gestational surrogacy continues to grow as a family-building option. Stay tuned to our blog for more discussions on emerging reproductive law issues.

October 4, 2016

Choosing a Sperm Donor: There’s an App for That

by Harden Jackson, LLC

Phone App
The London Sperm Bank just launched the United Kingdom’s first sperm donor app, nicknamed by news outlets as the “Tinder for Sperm Donors.” Individuals can use the app to search for sperm donors and order sperm on their phones. The free app , considered the first of its kind, displays donor profiles that describe physical characteristics, medical history, the sperm bank’s staff impressions, and other information (check out this Cosmopolitan article for some examples). Users can set preferences for characteristics such as eye color, hair color, education, and personality, and receive an alert when a donor matching their criteria is available. In contrast to dating apps like Tinder, donor profiles are anonymous and do not contain photos. Donors are vetted by the London Sperm Bank and pay a fee to be listed on the app.

The app has been approved by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (“HFEA”); the UK’s regulating entity that oversees IVF research, clinics, and procedures. However, the app has also generated some ethical debate. A representative of the Comment on Reproductive Ethics group stated that the app constitutes “trivialisation of parenthood,” equating it to “reproduction via mobile phone.” Meanwhile, the London Sperm Bank issued a statement assuring that “Ordering sperm from an online catalogue or an app does not trivialise treatment, and every step meets the requirements of the HFEA.” Additionally, the scientific director of the London Sperm bank stated “you make all the transactions online, like you do anything else these days. This allows a woman who wants to get a sperm donor to gain control in the privacy of her own home and to choose and decide in her own time.”

We are curious to see the impact of the app and whether other sperm banks follow suit. Has this app revolutionized gamete donation as we know it? Only time will tell. Stay tuned to our blog for more updates on the app as it gains traction among individuals seeking sperm donors.

August 23, 2016

An Update on Gestational Surrogacy Trends in the United States

by Harden Jackson, LLC

As gestational surrogacy continues to increase in the United States, so do opportunities to observe its trends and outcomes. Many states presently permit gestational surrogacy, although the laws vary by state and are rapidly evolving. Researchers from the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility compiled information regarding the below trends arising from the continued practice of gestational surrogacy in the United States:

In the past 15 years, the number of gestational carrier cycles has grown by more than 470%.
Almost 70% of fertility clinics throughout the country now offer gestational surrogacy.

January 22, 2016

Legal Parentage in Surrogacy: Where Should I File?

by Harden Jackson, LLC

Once the gestational surrogacy agreement is executed, the legal work is not always complete. Depending on the state, Intended Parents may need to establish their legal parentage in the courts. Intended Parents pursuing this route file pleadings with the court and then obtain a court order declaring their parentage (assuming the court grants their petition). The terms “pre-birth order” or “post-birth order” may come to mind here, and Intended Parents should consult with an attorney to determine what the state’s laws permit as well as what type of court order they should seek. This begs the question of where the Intended Parents should file for parentage.

Intended Parents should file for parentage in the state where the child is born. They must complete all of their court pleadings and any other necessary legal documents in accordance with the laws of that state. This is especially important to note for Intended Parents who live in a different state than the Gestational Surrogate. It’s imperative that Intended Parents consult with an experienced reproductive law attorney who is familiar with that state’s surrogacy laws to assist them with filing for parentage. Remember that surrogacy laws vary among the states, and each state may have different procedures to establish legal parentage.

The attorneys of Harden Jackson Law are devoted to servicing clients in all areas of family law, including divorce, custody, child support, property division, paternity, post-divorce modifications, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, simple wills, adoption, surrogacy and other areas of assisted reproductive technology law. For more information, please contact us at 317.569.0770 or www.hardenjacksonlaw.com.

July 16, 2013

Indiana Court of Appeals: Surrogate can not petition to disestablish maternity

by Harden Jackson, LLC

By Michele Jackson

A recent Court of Appeals ruling in Indiana has created some confusion on the Indiana Court’s view on establishing parentage in some surrogacy cases. The court ruled that a married woman who acted as a surrogate for another couple cannot petition to disestablish her maternity because it would cause the child to be “declared a child without a mother”. The issue arose In the Matter of the Paternity and Maternity of Infant T.

For the past two years in Indiana, I have been successful in petitioning paternity and maternity for an intended father and intended mother based on the case In re Paternity & Maternity of Infant R. While this case was specific to biological parents, it did not prohibit the use of the process when using egg donor or sperm donor and thus I was continually successful in using the same process. However, based upon the recent case, this option may not be possible. It appears from a strict interpretation of this case, if a donor is used, then the gestational surrogate will be the legal mother until an adoption takes place, as the state will not allow for a child to not have a legal mother. While I believe that the courts will continue to accept the petitions for paternity and maternity, even after this decision, I want to make it clear there is a more significant legal risk for intended parents using donors.