If you want to adopt a child as a third parent, you may have trouble doing so in many states. Fortunately, Florida is not one of those states. This helps many people, but it is particularly helpful when an adoption involves a same-sex couple.
Here’s an example. If a friend donates an egg to two male friends in a same-sex relationship, it would then be possible for both men to be legal parents and for the biological mother to have legal rights to the child as well. This three-party system could work very well depending on the situation.
This also helps situations in which the male and female parents are the only recognized parents due to being biologically related. For a person in a same-sex couple, it’s impossible for both people to be biologically related to the child. However, now, the parent who is not related can make a claim as a parent and make sure he or she has the legal rights all other parents receive.
Florida passed a law to allow this so-called tri-parenting for the best interests of children in these situations. As changes in technology make it possible to splice DNA and make other changes early on, it’s important for courts to be flexible. For now, three-parent families are legal in Florida.
If you’re in a situation where you’d like to have a third parent recognized in your child’s life or are a parent who would like to obtain these rights, your attorney can help. The right information can help you seize the rights you’re entitled to.
Source: NewsTalk Florida, “Florida among many states where courts allow 3 parents of 1 child,” June 19, 2017
