ALABAMA: Second Marriage Suit Filed

In February, the Southern Poverty Law Center filed Alabama's first marriage equality lawsuit with a demand that the state recognize out-of-state marriages. Today a Mobile law firm filed a suit which demands that a local lesbian couple be allowed to jointly register as the legal parents of their son.

Cari Searcy and Kimberly McKeand have been in a committed relationship for over 15 years. They were legally married in California in September of 2008 and together share in the parental responsibilities for their child. McKeand gave birth to their son in 2005 who was conceived with the help of a donor. The family has resided in Mobile, Alabama since 2001. Because of Alabama’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage which states: “The State shall not recognize as valid any marriage of parties of the same sex that occurred or was alleged to have occurred as a result of the law of any jurisdiction regardless of whether a marriage license was issued,” Searcy and McKeand are considered legal strangers in their home state, thus preventing their son from having two legal parents. “I am a parent in every way to our son, but legally I am still considered a stranger” said Searcy. “We just want our son to have the same protections and securities as other Alabama families.”

From the above-linked article: "Alabama is one of a handful of states that does not allow children of same-sex couples to enjoy the benefits of having two legal parents." (Tipped by JMG reader Joe)