Florida same-sex couples that want to adopt, the movement is on. The Arkansas Supreme Court recently ruled that the state’s ban on adoption and foster parenting by any person cohabiting with a sexual partner outside of marriage is a violation of the Arkansas Constitution.
As in Florida, the best interest of the child criteria was the focus. The Plaintiffs in the
Arkansas case involved:• a lesbian couple adopting a special-needs child;
• a lesbian grandmother wanting to adopt a grandchild, currently in state care;
• three teenagers in the foster care system awaiting placement;
• several heterosexual couples prevented from designating certain gay or lesbian friends or relatives to adopt their children in the case of the parent’s death.
Equality for Florida gay and lesbian individuals wanting the right to adopt has happened, hopefully, the Florida and Arkansas rulings will permeate to all states who currently do not allow a gay or lesbian person from adopting.
Speak with a Jacksonville Adoption Attorney about your desire to adopt.