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Adoption
Adoption used as marriage
This is interesting and I first heard about when I read the Baby Thief. Same sex partners are adopting their partners in order to protect them financially. I think that since they aren't given any other option, this is an interesting way to use the existing laws to their benefit.
https://knox.villagesoup.com/Government/story.cfm?storyID=169746
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Adoption used as marriage
Very interesting. Especially since adoption is a LIFELONG thing. Some marriages are not - as in the case in the article.
What do you do when the relationship does not work out??? It is not like you can "unadopt" someone.
My Blog
I don't find this icky in any sense. Clearly, this couple (or other couples that have done this) did not do so with some sick notion or fantasy about their relationship as parent/child. At the time of this particular situation, this couple would not have had any legal rights under the law as a couple. And, today in most states homosexual couples still do not have any legal rights as a partnered couple.
As the daughter of a married (yes I do say legally married) lesbian - I find it sad that this couple had to resort to manipulating the law in this fashion but I completely understand why they did it - I take my hat off to them for finding this loop hole.
We have, what 6 states that allow legal marriages and a handful of other states that allow 'civil' unions in which legal rights relating to medical, financial and state taxes benefits the same as heterosexual marriages. I believe at the time that this couple in the article did this - it was prior to states recognizing same sex partners in a legal/medical fashion - in any sense (married or civil union). And, even when there are private legal documents allowing a partner to have legal, medical, financial authority there have been instances in which judges have allowed family members to override those documents.
Any estate or other medical/financial benefits that fall under federal jurisdiction are still denied to homosexuals even if they live in a state were their marriage is legal.
So I am disappointed that adoption laws are being manipulated to serve purposes that have nothing really to do with the intent in which they were created - but when the law fails to protect ALL citizens and allow ALL citizens equal rights/benefits then this is what happens.
Steps off soap box.
This
Adult adoption does create it's own set of issues...
I've shared this a few times on the nest but we still have people who, when the Mr. mentions his sister, do a double take and say "wait...when did you get a sister?" (because it was an adult adoption. About 4? years ago now. I've been a member of the family longer than she has :-P)
But sometimes it's to protect what happens when the will is contested. While MIL and FIL have been 'parenting' SIL for 10 years now (since she married the Mr's BFF who they were very involved w/ raising), the #1 reason they went through the expense and trouble and hurt (it did hurt her biological asstastic parents) of the adoption was because, if something happened to BIL and SIL, the cusody of their kids needed to stay w/ MIL and FIL.
While they could stipulate that in a will, both of their lousy horrible excuses for biological parents would have fought for custody of the grandkids--not for any love of the grandkids but because of the trust fund/$/etc taht would come with the kids. Chances are, the courts would have recognized that MIL and FIL were fit guardians and honored the wishes of the parents...but there would ahve been grounds for a fight. w/ the official adoption decree, there won't be.
Perhaps if more areas of our legal systems were more concerned w/ the wishes of those involved rather than the blood relation's having rights to things, it would be a good thing all around....