Michigan mom's gay adoption heartbreak

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Lansing, Michigan (CNN) – Marie Wolfe says she and her partner of four years, Becky, were as in love as any straight couple when they decided to start a family. Gay marriage is illegal in Michigan, but the couple exchanged rings and used a sperm donor so that Becky could get pregnant. Marie had always wanted kids, even before Becky, but couldn't have them herself.

The couple became the proud parents of twins, a boy and a girl, and three months after they were born Becky (whose name has been changed to protect her identity) and Marie went before a Michigan judge. Becky absolved her parental rights and with the help of an adoption agency and the judge the two adopted the children together.

Marie says they were given a state-issued adoption certificate and a new birth certificate with both of their names on them.

[3:07] “When I had the adoption certificate in my hand and I realized it was official, it was legal, nothing was ever going to come between the children and I, I just felt like, I’m going to have the privilege of raising these two children for the rest of my life.”

But as in many relationships, the bind between Becky and Marie began to strain. When the children were just over a year old, the couple broke up. Becky took the children and left, and Marie called her lawyers to try and win partial custody.

But another Michigan judge named Richard Garcia was assigned the case, and he ruled that the adoption was invalid:

[5:25] “What this really was is what we call a fiction under the law. There was an attempt to create law where none exists. In Michigan, marriage is defined as marriage between a man and a woman. Some activist judges, quite frankly, decide they don’t like the law the way it is so they come up with a ruse to get around that situation.”

Last summer, a different lesbian couple sued the state of Michigan for the right to adopt the three children they are raising together. Michigan passed a constitutional amendment in 2004 banning gay marriage. Only individuals and married couples are allowed to adopt, so the lawsuit encompassed the ban on marriage as well.

Last week the judge presiding over the Michigan case decided to suspend his ruling until the Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA. Arguments in that case will be heard later this month. A decision is expected this summer.

Marie Wolfe is paying extra attention to the Michigan ruling. This is her story.

http://cnnradio.cnn.com/2013/03/12/michigan-moms-gay-adoption-heartbreak/?hpt=hp_t3

[^_^ 5,021]

And sometimes K1 holders who aren't eligible for drivers licenses in a state get one anyway because an official decides he doesn't know the rules or doesn't care.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Okay..

[^_^ 5,021]

Rules matter.

[SMOKE 1,426]

hmm

Edited March 12, 2013 by SMOKE

[Penny Lane 8,159]

hmm

Having kids taken away from a loving, providing parent is hilarious, yes.

Aw, you edited the mocking picture. Too bad.

Edited March 12, 2013 by Evylin

[james&olya 1,121]

Sad. I feel sorry for her heartbreak. But what many fathers from heterosexual relationships have gone through in the past has often not been much better! I speak from unfortunate experience! Divorce when children are involved almost always involves significant emotional pain for many, if not all, involved.

[^_^ 5,021]

Having kids taken away from a loving, providing parent is hilarious, yes.

There's nothing funny about it, but justice isn't meant to be entertaining.

She got a benefit that she was not entitled to. It has now been taken away.

Kind of like when a company accidentally direct deposits more money than you've earned. You don't spend that, you give it back.

[SMOKE 1,426]

Having kids taken away from a loving, providing parent is hilarious, yes.

Aw, you edited the mocking picture. Too bad.

actually i was laughing at you, for being wound up over it.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Question.

If we look at custody do courts often give a parent partial custody if there was no blood relation and a blood relation still exists with another parent?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

[quote name=' timestamp='1363120182' post='6041754]

There's nothing funny about it, but justice isn't meant to be entertaining.

She got a benefit that she was not entitled to. It has now been taken away.

Kind of like when a company accidentally direct deposits more money than you've earned. You don't spend that, you give it back.

I know there's nothing funny about it. That's why I responded the way I did to someone who said "HA HA" but unfortunately removed it. True colors showing, I guess, had to edit.

[^_^ 5,021]

I know there's nothing funny about it.

Then why did you laugh?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

actually i was laughing at you, for being wound up over it.

Copying and pasting a few paragraphs and posting here is "being wound up over it"?

Who knew.

[quote name=' timestamp='1363120271' post='6041760]

Then why did you laugh?

Where did I laugh?

[^_^ 5,021]

Where did I laugh?

It's right there. Now you're going to deny it?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

[quote name=' timestamp='1363120400' post='6041765]

It's right there. Now you're going to deny it?

Sure.