Saturday, January 26, 2013

[Australia] - Western Australia - Gay man wins right to adopt - Amanda Banks, The West Australia


In what looks like a significant precedent in West Australia, the male partner of a gay man with children via surrogacy has been won the right to adopt the children.  I note that WA has a separate Family Court to the rest of Australia.

The case citation:

BLAKE & ANOR [2013] FCWA 1 (10 January 2013)
JURISDICTION : FAMILY COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
ACT : ADOPTION ACT 1994
LOCATION : PERTH
CITATION : BLAKE & ANOR [2013] FCWA 1
CORAM : CRISFORD J
HEARD : 27 NOVEMBER 2012
DELIVERED : 10 JANUARY 2013
FILE NO/S : [suppressed]
BETWEEN : CHARLES BLAKE
Applicant
AND
DEPARTMENT FOR CHILD PROTECTION
Second Applicant

A full copy of the judgement is available here.

[Source: Original Article]

The male partner of a man who is the father of three-year-old twins born to a surrogate in India has won a WA Family Court ruling that will clear the way for him to adopt the children.

The court decision, published yesterday after being delivered earlier this month, has granted the man dispensations from requirements under WA adoption laws that will allow authorities to process his application to be legally recognised as the twins' step-parent.


The judgment reveals the children have lived with the couple, who are not identified by their real names and referred to as James Marston and Charles Blake, since they were born in India in July 2010.

The decision ruled that in recognition of the reality of "family" in present day society, Mr Marston should be recognised as a parent of the twins for the purpose of adoption laws and Mr Blake, as his partner, had a right to apply for adoption as a step-parent.

"Superimposed on the established facts is the need for the court to bear in mind the interests of these children," Justice Jane Crisford said.

"This includes their identity and their long-term welfare."

The twins were born after a surrogacy procedure at a fertility clinic in Mumbai.

Eggs from an anonymous donor were fertilised with Mr Marston's sperm and implanted in a surrogate, referred to as Ms Sengupta.

Ms Sengupta, her husband and Mr Marston entered into a surrogacy agreement, which is legally binding under Indian law.

[Source: Original Article]

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