Family Law: Chldrn of LGBT Parents Sem (LAW-782-001)
Polikoff
Meets: 10:00 AM - 11:50 AM (T) - Room 627
Enrolled: 15 / Limit: 18
Notices
Please see the note under "first class readings"
Description
This course will examine some of the most cutting-edge legal issues in family law. Specifically, the course will cover the following: how to define a parent and what constitutional rights parents have; custody and visitation issues arising for children born within heterosexual marriages when a parent later comes out as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender; family formation through adoption, foster parenting, sperm and egg donor insemination, and traditional and gestational surrogacy; whether/when the marital presumption of parentage applies to same-sex spouses; interstate and federal recognition of parentage; and custody and child support disputes when same-sex couples split up. Students will also study demographic and social science research on children with gay or lesbian parents and arguments about the well-being of children that have come up in litigation, legislative efforts, and ballot initiatives about same-sex marriage and parenting. Students will also learn about the organizations involved in litigation and other advocacy about these issues. Students may choose to be evaluated through a final exam or a research paper. Students who wish to use this course to fulfill the ULWR may do so with permission from the instructor by registering for an additional credit of independent study. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Textbooks and Other Materials
The textbook information on this page was provided by the instructor. Students should use this information when considering purchases from the AU Campus Store or other vendors. Students may check to determine if books are currently available for purchase online.
There is no textbook for this course. All reading assignments are on the MyWCL website for the course.
First Class Readings
There ARE readings for the first class. You will find them on the MyWCL website. If you cannot access that website before the first class, email the professor for the readings at npoliko@wcl.american.edu
Syllabus
Use your MyAU username and password to access the syllabus in the following format(s):
Microsoft Word 2007 (DOCX)