Gay Adoption

April 13, 2011

Another Adoption Victory for Same-Sex Couples in Arkansas

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;

April 7, 2011

Adoption In Florida: Know What Or Who You’re Getting!

by David M. Goldman

As a Florida Adoption Lawyer, I can tell you that adoption is one of the most rewarding areas of law in which Jacksonville family law attorneys practice. It is the one area where everyone is happy and people feel as though something very good is being done. However, there are some horror stories regarding adoption in Florida. In my role as a Jacksonville adoption lawyer, I have seen some cases where the adoption agency has not fully revealed the child’s abuse background and as such, the parents are adopting children with far more issues than relayed to them. Many times, these parents are not equipped to give these children the proper psychological counseling or medical care that the children need. As such, the children can and have ended up back in the foster care system with a failed adoption in Florida. It is imperative to utilize a Florida adoption attorney when choosing the adopt a child or children in Florida.

March 4, 2011

Kids living with Same-Sex Parents are All Right

by David M. Goldman

Annette Benning and Julianne Moore play Nic and Jules, a married same-sex couple with teenage children, in the fairly recent movie, The Kids Are All Right.

This is a story of lesbian marriage, sperm-donor fatherhood, sex, red wine, and teen angst, when two teen-aged siblings track down their biological “donor dad”, Mark Ruffalo, who donated sperm to their lesbian mothers.

This movie shows the complications and problems that can ensue when a known or unknown donor unexpectedly re-enters into a family’s life.

January 27, 2011

Florida’s New Administration: A Cloud over Gay Adoptions in the Sunshine State?

by David M. Goldman

A New York Times article reported that about 32 percent of gay couples in Jacksonville Florida are raising children, making Jacksonville second only to San Antonio, Texas. The article also reported that child rearing among same-sex couples is more common in the South than in any other region of the country.

The day after this article, the Miami Herald ran an article where Florida Governor, Rick Scott, stated that “adoptions should be by a married couple”. At this time the governor has no plans to revive the ban on gay adoptions.

Florida, the last state in the nation to allow for a gay person to adopt, has come a long way. If you are raising a child in a same-sex relationship in Jacksonville and are not a biological or an adoptive parent, perhaps a 2nd parent adoption has been something you have been contemplating. Now is the time to contact a Jacksonville Attorney who can talk with you about the road to 2nd parent adoption.

November 3, 2010

Gay and Lesbian Adoption Now a Reality for LGBT Community

by David M. Goldman

images-2 dads.jpg Jacksonville Florida gay and lesbian couples are ready to adopt. Now that the Florida law banning gay and lesbian individuals from adopting has been lifted, many same-sex Florida couples are making their dreams of a family, a reality.

Florida “second-parent” adoption procedures allow the biological parent’s same-sex partner to adopt a child without terminating the rights of the biological or adoptive parent.

Children being raised in Jacksonville by same-sex parents are at a disadvantage if they only have a legal relationship with one of those parents. The legal parent may not have benefits or health insurance coverage for their child, but the non-legal parent does. Social security death benefits will not be provided to a child that does not have a legal relationship with the parent who dies.

October 1, 2010

Florida Law Banning Gay Adoptions Ruled Unconstitutional

by David M. Goldman

A recent Florida ruling has made it possible for St. Augustine lesbian and gay men to finally become legally recognized parents. A Florida Court of Appeals has ruled that the Florida law banning gay men and lesbians from adopting in the state of Florida is unconstitutional. According to recent data, a quarter million American children are living with same-sex parents. The Florida court of appeals relied on mainstream health and child welfare organizations that have issued policies opposing restrictions on parenting by lesbians and gay men.

The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) eloquently stated that:

“Based on more than three decades of social science research and our 85 years of service to millions of families, CWLA believes that any attempt to preclude or prevent gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals or couples from parenting, based solely on their sexual orientation, is not in the best interest of children.”