Shareholder Evi (Englert) Woodlinn Quoted in Maine Public Article on Maine’s New Confirmatory Adoption Law

Shareholder and Chair of Bernstein Shur’s Family Formation Practice Group, Evi (Englert) Woodlinn, was quoted by Maine Public in an article titled: “LGBTQ families find protection and affirmation in Maine’s new confirmatory adoption law.”

In the article, Evi speaks about Maine’s new confirmatory adoption law that streamlines the process of securing legal parenting rights for LGBTQ+ couples that are using assisted reproduction.

“It removes some of the burdens that previously existed,” she says, “You just need to submit a petition that includes like the child’s birth certificate, an explanation of the circumstances of the child’s birth through assisted reproduction and just an attestation that there are no competing parentage claims in existence from somebody else.”

This makes Maine the eighth state to adopt a confirmatory adoption law, securing the parenting rights of non-biological LGBTQ+ parents.

“It sends a really clear message – you are just as much of a family as everyone else in this state, and you deserve the same rights and protections and also deserve to like obtain those rights and protections in a way that’s not burdensome or invasive or intrusive or offensive,” Woodlinn said. “It makes my family feel really seen.”

Click HERE to read the full article.