Family Forum / Parenting / Adoption / May 2006

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20060520-0208-gayadoption.html

Federal judge strikes down gay adoption law in Oklahoma

By Tim Talley
ASSOCIATED PRESS

2:08 a.m. May 20, 2006

OKLAHOMA CITY - A federal judge struck down a 2-year-old law that
prohibits Oklahoma from recognizing adoptions by same-sex couples from
other states and countries.
U.S. District Judge Robin Cauthron ruled Friday the measure violated
due process rights under the U.S. Constitution because it attempted to
break up families without considering the parents' fitness or the
children's best interests.

Gay-rights organization Lambda Legal had challenged the law on behalf
of three same-sex couples.
"Gay and lesbian parents in Oklahoma can now breathe a collective
sigh of relief because their relationships with their children are no
longer threatened by the state of Oklahoma," said Ken Upton, an
attorney in Lambda Legal's Dallas office.

One of the plaintiffs, Heather Finstuen, said the ruling will allow her
and partner Anne Magro to focus on being parents to their 7-year-old
twin girls rather than worrying about the adoption law.

"This is really good news for our family," she said. "It's a huge
relief."

The couple said the law endangered the legal relationship established
by a New Jersey court between Finstuen and her adopted daughters. The
girls were born to Magro.

The ruling was attacked by supporters of the law, which was passed by
the Legislature with bipartisan support in 2004.

"It's another case of an activist court trying to legislate from the
bench," said Republican Rep. Thad Balkman. "It's unfortunate that a
single judge is trying to rewrite the law."