{"id":136924,"date":"2015-05-22T20:14:20","date_gmt":"2015-05-22T10:14:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/starobserver.com.au\/?p=136924"},"modified":"2015-05-22T20:19:21","modified_gmt":"2015-05-22T10:19:21","slug":"rainbow-families-and-the-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.starobserver.com.au\/features\/rainbow-families-and-the-law\/136924","title":{"rendered":"Rainbow families and the law"},"content":{"rendered":"
LEGAL issues around families are complex and emotionally charged at the best of times, but when rainbow families come with the added complexities of donors \u2014 a biological parent who isn\u2019t necessarily involved in raising a child \u2014 it\u2019s a good idea to go to the experts. Looking at the issues, three Sydney-based lawyers who work with rainbow families involving sperm or egg donors fielded some important questions for prospective parents to consider.<\/span><\/p>\n Michael Tiyce from Tiyce and Lawyers said that while it\u2019s common for people entering into a donor arrangement to negotiate a \u201cparenting agreement\u201d, such agreements aren\u2019t the be-all and end-all of the relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThese agreements are evidence of intention only and do not bind the parties,\u201d he explained.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt is important to understand that the Family Court has the ultimate authority with respect to arrangements for children and if not bound by the terms of any agreement.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Tiyce said the kinds of disputes around donors currently appearing before the court are usually between sperm donors and mothers over arrangements of access to the children.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThese matters can be resolved by either a Court Order or undertaking mediation with an experienced mediator in an attempt to resolve the dispute,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cExpert legal advice should also be obtained from a community recognised expert.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Dan Stubbs from the Inner City Legal Centre \u2014 a community legal centre that caters to LGBTI people in Sydney \u2014 said when it comes to those kinds of disputes, the court looks at, among other things, whether a donor has been actively parenting the child.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe court will look to see if the donor is someone who has \u2018concern for care, welfare or development of the child\u2019 \u2014 a donor who has not been actively parenting the child may find it harder to prove this,\u201d Stubbs said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s important to remember that the court does not consider the rights of parents but the primary consideration is \u2018the best interests of the child\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Although good intentions are vital, Erin Steiner from Steiner Legal sees what happens when things go wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI mostly deal with the agreements that result in disputes so I can say from experience it\u2019s an awful situation for everyone involved, particularly the child caught in the middle,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf you want to eliminate the chances of ending up in court then yes, you should consider avoiding known donor agreements but at the same time if that were a blanket rule then some people may never have the chance to have children at all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n It is possible for both parties in a parenting agreement to have changes of heart once the realities of parenthood set in, and while it can make matters complicated, Steiner argued it\u2019s understandable.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cA donor will often go into an agreement believing they don\u2019t want to play a major role in the child\u2019s life and then have a change of heart when they meet the child, which is understandable \u2014 unfortunately it\u2019s one of the most common scenarios that result in family court litigation,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou can also have a situation where the birth mother and donor had an agreement that the donor will have a parental role in the child\u2019s life and then the birth mother changes her mind. If the parties can\u2019t resolve the dispute themselves then it can only be resolved in the family court.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAgain, it is a very complex and costly process both emotionally and financially for the parties.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Tiyce argued that when that happens, the courts are equipped to handle the cases.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe law regarding relationships children have with, for example, their parents, donors or other people with an interest in their welfare is contained within the Family Law Act as interpreted through case law developed over many years,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThere have been recent developments in this area of the law which establish that the court has all the tools necessary to protect the rights of children involved in disputes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Steiner disagreed, arguing the laws favour birth parents over donors.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t believe the laws are adequate \u2014 they assume the donor was not intended to be a parent of the child but the reality is that in many same-sex families\u2019 donors are often intended to take on a parental role,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe laws favour the birth parent and their partner over the donor in terms of their status as a parent.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis means that if the \u2018legal\u2019 parent changes their mind about the donor\u2019s role in the child\u2019s life after they are born, the donor will have difficulty getting that time because they are not considered to be a parent. They will need to file proceedings in the family court which is a complex and costly process.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n For more information,\u00a0<\/i><\/span>visit: familylawcourts.gov.au<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n __________________<\/p>\n OTHER STORIES ABOUT RAINBOW FAMILIES:<\/strong><\/p>\n FERTILITY CLINICS: A PATH TO ACHIEVING FAMILY DREAMS<\/a><\/p>\n