Suit: Utah adoption laws permit ‘legalized fraud and kidnapping'

[Redfairen]

Source: Salt Lake Tribune

Twelve biological fathers whose children were placed for adoption in Utah without their knowledge or consent have filed a federal lawsuit against the state, alleging Utah laws permit "legalized fraud and kidnapping."

The fathers, represented in the lawsuit by West Jordan attorney Wes Hutchins, allege that despite knowing about the "gross adoption infirmities" of Utah’s law, two former attorneys general "did nothing for more than a decade to correct the fraud and deception" that led to their children being placed with adoptive families in Utah.

What happened to their sons and daughters was essentially "kidnapping and highly unethical and disruptive placement into adoptive homes without the knowledge or consent of their biological fathers," the lawsuit states.

Utah’s law has created a "confusing labyrinth of virtually incomprehensible legal mandates and nearly impossible deadlines" that amount to unconstitutional violations of the rights of unwed fathers, it states.



Read more: http://m.sltrib.com/sltrib/mobile[phone]/utah-adoption-lawsuit-fathers.html.csp

[weissmam]

1. well UT is one of the most conservative states

[dbackjon]

3. Good - the rights of the biological fathers are often trampled

And Utah takes it to an extreme.

[Kelvin Mace]

4. Did I misread the article?

Does Utah's law explicitly permit fraud?

[okaawhatever]

5. I have to wonder if this is less about harming men and more about making adoptions

easy for the adoptive parents. Most states aren't that friendly to the adoptive mothers or fathers. I'm surprised a state like Utah would discriminate against the men unless there was an underlying reason. It's not like Utah is known for it's pro-women laws and views.

[LeftyMom]

7. The object is to get as many babies as possible into the Utah adoption system,

so they can be raised to be good little Mormons. The birth family is an obstacle to letting that happen, nothing more.

[pnwmom]

6. Without knowing the particulars of Utah's laws, it's not possible

to judge whether they are unfair or not.