Sperm Donor Fight For Rights
In Topeka, Kansas, a man who agreed to be a sperm donor for a long time friend who wanted to have a baby is now fighting for parental rights to the twins he fathered.
Daryl Hendrix is a gay man who is in his 40s, and says decided that since he is mature and now financially able to support children, he agreed to provide his friend, Samantha Harrington, with his sperm so that she could become pregnant.
According to Hendrix, Harrington assured him that they did not need a written agreement and that since she is a lawyer and they had been friends for 10 years, he believed her. He says that on the second try, Harrington became pregnant and called him to say, “Congratulations Daddy.”
When the babies were born in May, 2005, Hendrix says that he got a nasty surprise when he attempted to go see the children at the hospital. He was turned away and not allowed to see the newborn boy and girl. He was then informed that sperm donors have no legal rights without a written agreement. Harrington also filed legal documents asking that Hendrix have no legal rights to the children.
In October, the court upheld the 1994 Kansas law that denies Hendrix parental rights to the children in the absence of a written agreement.
Hendrix is appealing to the state Supreme Court and says that he will take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.
December 9th, 2007 at 9:54 am
This reminded me of another case whereby a man was sued for child support and lost while he was merely a sperm donor.
Is there a test which one MUST fail to become a judge??
January 24th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
I was doing some research for my Divorce Online Canada Blog and found you website and I must I am very impressed with the depth of writing and content please keep up the good work on all our behalf’s… Especially reporting the misplaced ideas in todays world, it’s like I tell my clients: “It’s so much more beneficial if both parties can come to a mutual agreement… Maybe even give a little and take a little less in some regards it might seem that your the one always giving more, but in the long run it will come back to you 10 times…”
Thanks,
Howard M
April 30th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Well, if that would be the case then he has the right to file a case against to Harrington. But since they have no agreement he has no choice. He will wait the result coming from the court of what would be the result to his case. If he failed then he may ask to Harrington a permission to see the twin and introduce him as a father thou they are not legally Husband and wife for the sake of their 10 years friendship.
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New York Immigration Lawyer Marina Shepelsky, located in Brooklyn, assists clients from the New York metro area and across the United States in all immigration and naturalization matters http://www.e-us-visa.com