Court Reaffirms Custody for Lesbian

LISA MILLER JANET JENKINS X390 (FAIR USE) | ADVOCATE.COM

(L-R) Lisa Miller and Janet Jenkins

The Vermont supreme court has unanimously granted custody to a lesbian who has been battling to become the guardian of the young girl she and her former partner raised together.

The ruling is in favor of Vermont resident Janet Jenkins, affirming a 2009 court order giving her sole physical and legal custody of Isabella Miller-Jenkins. Lisa Miller, Jenkins's former partner, is still missing with their 8-year-old daughter, according to Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, which argued on Jenkins's behalf before the supreme court.

Vermont "has determined that same-sex couples have the same rights and responsibilities as opposite-sex couples — thus, the sexual orientation of the parents is irrelevant in a custody determination," the court wrote Monday. "We affirm the family court's finding that Lisa had no justification for denying visitation to Janet."

The court also added that because Miller fled with Isabella to "apparently defeat a court order," her behavior is destructive to the 8-year-old's best interests.

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Name: Samantha
Date posted: 11/7/2010 11:19:00 AM
Hometown: New York

Comment:
This Vermont Court is a Joke. Did these judges really think they can tell a Woman who had been living in Virginia for several years to give up her child to this woman in Vermont. They need to call the FBI in to handle this mess of a case. This is all just lip service to me time to play hard ball with Lisa Miller.