Bizarre Case Involves Sperm Donor Sued For Child Support

In a bizarre article recently published by Yahoo, one Kansas man has found himself in some surprising hot water over child support. According to the article, the man donated sperm to a lesbian couple and is now being asked to pay child support by the state.

The donor, William Marotta, gave the sperm to the couple after first signing a contract that clearly explained he would not be deemed the father of the child nor would he ever be responsible for paying child support. This past fall the state of Kansas filed a petition asking that the man be declared the legal father of the child and thus be held financially responsible for her care after the lesbian couple suffered some serious financial setbacks.

The sperm donor has said he will request that the court dismiss the claim. Prosecutors say a law on the books is clear that sperm must be donated through a licensed doctor for a father to be free of any future monetary obligation. In his case, the man donated the semen after finding the couple online, on the site Craigslist. The state is now telling the man to start making child support payments, including almost $6,000 in expenses dating as far back as the child’s birth.

Marotta’s attorneys have said that the man has no parental rights because of the contract he signed with the girl’s mothers. They claim that the clear language of the agreement means that the man cannot be held financially responsible for the child. Marotta says he responded to the Craigslist ad seeking sperm donations for $50. He turned down the money, saying he and his wife, who have no children of their own, simply wanted to help a couple that wanted a child.

The case has garnered national attention given the number of people who donate sperm to sperm banks and who now fear child support agencies will knock on their door one day looking for money. Groups opposed to the child support suit have said that the action by Kansas could have a chilling effect on other men’s desire to help couples in need of a donor, something that could end up hurting many uninvolved families.

If you find yourself facing the prospect of divorce, contact an experienced Ohio family law attorney who can help guide you through the difficult process. Count on the expertise of Twinsburg family law attorney Carol L. Gasper.

Source: “Child support claim rankles sperm donor to lesbian couple,” by Kevin Murphy, published at News.Yahoo.com.

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