The Virginia Supreme Court ruled today that the state must enforce a Vermont court order awarding child-visitation rights to Janet Jenkins, a non-biological lesbian mom locked in a custody battle with her former partner, Lisa Miller. The Court rejected Miller’s claim that Virginia law and a state constitutional amendment against same-sex unions (including ones from other states) applied here.
This case has been going on for some time. Let’s hope for their daughter’s sake Miller gives it a rest, and doesn’t follow the lead of her attorney Mathew Staver, founder of the ultra-conservative Liberty Counsel, who says she “will pursue other legal options.”
Pursue raising your daughter, I say. Stop wasting your time with this.
Amen!
I’ve been following this story here in VA and I’ve been upset it came to this. They should really be thinking of the child here.
Well I am glad that it has come to an end and it all worked out the way I hoped it would I can see why it came to this. As a child my hetrosexual parents divorced and fought through many custody battles in 2 different states. Although parents should be thinking of their children they can rarly see eye to eye. As an ex-citzen of Virginia I am proud to see that this ussually conservitve state saw and upheld the make-up of her family at the time of her birth and awarded visitation to her non-biological mother
In general, I agree. Although, on the other hand, sometimes the litigants run these matters as test cases so as to establish a favourable precedent. In other words, sometimes the opposing parties aren’t quite so litigious as they appear on paper (or in court). I know that that has been done here in Canada quite frequently.
What I fear is that even though this battle is lost to Miller, she will carry on the struggle over every single issue regarding the rearing of their child. The fact they don’t live in the same state will also be problematic in ensuring Miller doesn’t further undermine the child’s relationship with the other parent.
The fact this victory was one for the second parent in Virginia is pretty amazing though.
It still kills me. Bitter divorce never does a kid good – gay or straight.
[…] court. If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll remember that the Virginia Supreme Court ruled last week that the state must enforce a Vermont court order awarding child-visitation rights to […]
This story is hitting me hard. I am currently going through a nasty custody battle with my ex-partner. She is bitter and nasty and will end at nothing. Even having court ordered counseling with me she continues to lie, manipulate and I am at my wits end. My three year old is the only victim here. The sad part is my ex is a gay community activist and because of her status, she is trying to convince everyone that I am an addict of crack, cocaine and alcohol. I would really love to talk to anyone that has insight on how to make it though this and keep my daughter out of it as much as possible on my end.