ITT: We discuss controversial legal issues.

[Sarcasmo]

You can post whatever you want, I'm just starting with this particular one. Pure greatness. Law school fodder at the moment, I'm sure.

Sperm donor ordered to pay child support

October 13, 2005

A Swedish man who donated his sperm to a lesbian couple must pay child support for the three children he fathered, Sweden's Supreme Court has ruled.

The man, now 39, donated his sperm to the couple in the early 1990s.

Three sons were born during the years 1992-1996, according to Swedish news agency TT, which reported the ruling.

The man told the court that he and the women had agreed that he would play no role in the boys' child-rearing and that the two women would be their parents.

Nonetheless, the man signed a document confirming that he was the biological father of the children.

Shortly after he signed the document, the two women separated and the biological mother demanded that the man pay child support.

The man took the case to court, but lost in the district and appeals courts.

The Supreme Court upheld those rulings on Wednesday, saying that as the biological father he is required to pay for the children's upbringing.

- AFP

Now then, is the verdict legitimate in your opinion? I think the courts should have gone after the other lesbian for support, since that was the family unit. A sperm donor is not a father or mother, but rather a biological parent. Fathers and mothers are roles, indicative of a sustained familial obligation.

I think most U.S. states have laws on the books that prevent donors from being held liable for supportive duties unless a formal agreed contract exists spelling out that relationship. But it's interesting that Sweden decided to take the road that it did.

 

[JAXvillain]

that's total BS and will be overturned unless their court system is a steaming pile of poo like ours

 

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Sperm is just tissue at that point, and you cant be held responsible for what someone else has done with it.

 

[Visker]

Which lezzer did the children go to?
Cause he could.. in theory challange the lezzer for custody of the child.. seeing as he is the biological father and.. he could win.
I'll assume though that the lezzer that has these kids is the one that shot them out her vaginarial sanctum.

But hey, that's another story.
I personally wouldn't like to donate sperm and have a woman/court 16 years later come to me and demand I pay child support.
I'd be most displeased by that event, especially if I then had a family of my own to take care of.

 

[Pandora]

As you said, it doesn't seem right to go after him for child support. They should go after the other partner for that, as she was the other parent when the child was conceived.

 

[BigDov]

It's good to know that "the system" is screwed up in other places besides our good ol U.S. of A. Unbelievable.

 

[theacoustician]

How about controversal lawyers? If you didn't see, Penny Arcade trumped Jack Thompson, a man so vile, National Institute on Media and the Family disowned him. This is the primary right wing group that tells parents its all video games fault that their kids suck, not their shitty parenting skills.

Summary:
-Jack offers $10k (donated to charity) for someone to make a video game killing game designers and industry people.
-Several people make mods to games to fit his description.
-Jack resends his offer. Claims it was "satire".
-Gabe and Tycho call him a douche for going back on his word and donate $10k of their own in his name.

Original story:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/news.php?date=2005-10-14

How they won:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/news.php?date=2005-10-17 (last two posts)

 

[djduquet]

I would like to amend the DMCA with specific attention to fair use. It's a bother that people who want and try to be legal spend money on music and movies but if they want them on mp3 players or portable video players it's not possible due to copy protection that does not prevent the mass stealing of intellectual property but is just a pain in the ass for those who follow the law.

sigh...

 

[Sarcasmo]

That hellfish.gtajunkies link doesn't work for me, dammit.

edit: nevermind, there it goes. On try # 7.

 

[theacoustician]

That hellfish.gtajunkies link doesn't work for me, dammit.

edit: nevermind, there it goes. On try # 7.

That's not the only one that met the qualifications
http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000390063717/

 

[Sarcasmo]

Sunday Morning: We fixed some small browser and spelling errors, tried to e-mail Jack, but his public e-mail address on Stopkill bounces everything back. I Am Jack's Complete Lack Of Surprise.

 

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

How about controversal lawyers? If you didn't see, Penny Arcade trumped Jack Thompson, a man so vile, National Institute on Media and the Family disowned him. This is the primary right wing group that tells parents its all video games fault that their kids suck, not their shitty parenting skills.

Summary:
-Jack offers $10k (donated to charity) for someone to make a video game killing game designers and industry people.
-Several people make mods to games to fit his description.
-Jack resends his offer. Claims it was "satire".
-Gabe and Tycho call him a douche for going back on his word and donate $10k of their own in his name.

Original story:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/news.php?date=2005-10-14

How they won:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/news.php?date=2005-10-17 (last two posts)

Ive been laughing about this one all day.

 

[theacoustician]

I would like to amend the DMCA with specific attention to fair use. It's a bother that people who want and try to be legal spend money on music and movies but if they want them on mp3 players or portable video players it's not possible due to copy protection that does not prevent the mass stealing of intellectual property but is just a pain in the ass for those who follow the law.

sigh...

I just got a letter today from my Congressman thanking me for my views on the DMCA and the broadcast flag issue. At least some of us are trying to do something about it.

 

[Penis Envy]

that kind of frightens me, although there is a claus, i donated to a couple that are good friends of mine and unfortunately the husband was sterile.

 

[Valve1138]

I saw that on CNN. It's total horseshit. That woman who stole the sperm should be in jail.

CNN had two people discussing it, a man and a woman. The woman kept going on and on. If the guy didn't want the ex wife to ever get the sperm he should have detroyed it. Bullshit, what if he wanted to have kids later and he needed it for some procedure.

I wanted to punch her in the cunt.

 

[JAXvillain]

that kind of frightens me, although there is a claus, i donated to a couple that are good friends of mine and unfortunately the husband was sterile.

or else you would have knocked him up?

 

[ZRH]

Nonetheless, the man signed a document confirming that he was the biological father of the children.

Probably has something to do with the ultimate ruling.

Of course none of us are experts on swedish jurisprudence. From what I know they are a civil law country (strange considering their background, and the US is common law). It would be different if he was anon and hadnt signed _anything_ but eh...

My response is haha you're fucked now. Don't mess with lesbians.

 

[simple]

sperm tastes great!

next topic!

 

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Speaking of donated sperm, I think Bills wife may be cheating on him...

 

[thrawn]

Speaking of donated sperm, I think Bills wife may be cheating on him...