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Court Says Craigslist Sperm Donor Must Pay Child Support
Hugh Pickens DOT Com writes "David Stout reports at Time Magazine that what began with a Craigslist ad from a lesbian couple calling for a sperm donor in rural Topeka, Kansas ended in court on Wednesday with a judge ordering the sperm donor to pay child support. The Kansas Department for Children and Families filed the case in October 2012 seeking to have William Marotta declared the father of a child born to Jennifer Schreiner in 2009 so he can be held responsible for about $6,000 in public assistance the state provided, as well as future child support. 'In this case, quite simply, the parties failed to perform to statutory requirement of the Kansas Parentage Act in not enlisting a licensed physician at some point in the artificial insemination process, and the parties' self-designation of (Marotta) as a sperm donor is insufficient to relieve (Marotta) of parental right and responsibilities to the child,' wrote Judge Mattivi. Marotta opposed that action, saying he had contacted Schreiner and her partner at the time, Angela Bauer, in response to an ad they placed on Craigslist seeking a sperm donor and signed a contract waiving his parental rights and responsibilities. 'We stand by that contract,' says Defense attorney Swinnen adding that the Kansas statute doesn't specifically require the artificial insemination be carried out by a physician. 'The insinuation is offensive, and we are responding vigorously to that. We stand by our story. There was no personal relationship whatsoever between my client and the mother, or the partner of the mother, or the child. Anything the state insinuates is vilifying my client, and I will address it.'"
What if they did have the proper means, financial resources, and responsibility to raise a child, but one of them gets into a rather serious accident
Proper proper means, financial resources, and responsibility, includes access to emergency funds or insurance protection.
The donor can't know every possible outcome, but I suspect they failed to due their due-dilligence.
So people who go through artificial insemination should not be eligible for assistance/welfare, only those who get naturally pregnant?
No; I am not saying they should be ineligible. I am saying: nobody who doesn't already have the appropriate means, should be pursuing having a child. Intentionally having a child, without clearly having the documented means, financial resources, protections, and planning to support the child on your own, or as a couple: should be regarded as child abuse, and it should result in consequences against the parent.
Obviously artificial insemination is a Luxury within their control, both IF and WHEN to buy, AND it's not a free service, so they are paying for it, and have time to contemplate the cost. Natural pregnancy may be out of their control, as to when they get pregnant.
The sperm donor should be freed from any obligation resulting via artificial insemination, using their genetic material, with a signed waiver from the mother.