Child Support Laws Struggle To Keep Pace
The laws of various states are already complicated as they relate to child support. Generally speaking, the law requires that biological parents share the financial responsibility of rearing a child. At the same time, “real life” continues to generate situations that test the edges of the law. This editorial (see link below) describes one such case, in Kansas, involving child custody.
Anyone familiar with the service Craigslist knows they should engage in every transaction with a critical eye – disclaimers and tips for avoiding scams are virtually everywhere onsite. Despite safety regulations in place, users can find far more than they bargained for.
A lesbian couple looking to parent posted a special request to Craigslist, seeking a willing donor. At least one man, intrigued by the couple’s situation, obliged – barring all responsibility to the child following completion of a coordinated contract.
The couple eventually did conceive as expected – what wasn’t expected was their eventual separation. With one of the female parents between jobs, the state then turned to the sperm donor for child support. Unbeknownst to the donor, the contract absolving him of financial burden was not recognized by the state.
The state argues that the contract, having lacked a physician’s signature, does not definitively prove the donor anything less than a sexual partner of the child’s mother. Meanwhile, all parties privy to the case at hand agree that the state should not pursue financial obligations from the donor. Shouldn’t this consensus deter the state from taking action?
The answer is unclear, and will likely take a long time to resolve itself. In the meantime, any decisions relating to the parenting or reading of children are not decisions that you want to entrust to your own “common sense.” This is an area where you want to get experienced, professional advice – to look after your own interests better than you can do so, yourself.
Original story reported by Baylor Lariat.
