Supreme Court Reverses Queer Adoption Denial

Today, the Supreme Court unanimously reversed an Alabama refusal to recognize same-gender adoption. According to USA Today, the challenge was brought by an Alabama woman when the state’s highest court refused to recognize the adoption she secured in Georgia. Although the couple never married, the defendant legally adopted her x-partner’s biological children. “A state may not disregard the judgment of a sister state because it disagrees with the reasoning underlying the judgment or deems it to be wrong on the merits,” the court ruled. Alabama will have to bow to Georgia’s legislation and allow adoption rights.

Great news from SCOTUS! We’re monitoring its impact on adoption rights by LGBTQ parents and prospective… https://t.co/3gXczdXOC4 — HRC New England (@HRCNewEngland) March 11, 2019

“The Supreme Court’s reversal of Alabama’s unprecedented decision to void an adoption from another state is a victory not only for our client but for thousands of adopted families,” Cathy Sakimura, the National Center for Lesbian Rights’ family law director, said. “No adoptive parent or child should have to face the uncertainty and loss of being separated years after their adoption just because another state’s court disagrees with the law that was applied in their adoption.”

Small Victories <3 https://t.co/M00fQO3zwH — ThreeStrangeWomen (@ThreeStrngWomen) March 11, 2019

This represents a milestone for queer, adoptive parents, as same-gender couples are often denied the same privileges easily granted to hetero couples when it comes to having custody over their children.