Maine lesbian
couple allowed to adopt children

A Maine lesbian couple will be able to adopt sibling foster children, the state's highest court ruled Thursday. The decision overturns a lower court ruling that barred Ann Courtney and Marilyn Kirby of Portland from adopting a 10-year-old girl and her 6-year-old brother, the Associated Press reports.

The couple became foster parents for the children in 2001 and then filed petitions to adopt with the Cumberland County probate court, which rejected them.

Supreme judicial court judges cited the fact that state law does not forbid two unmarried people from adopting children in overturning the lower court ruling. (The Advocate)