Sperm Donor's Required To Pay Child Support?

There is no question that artificial insemination has created some unusual circumstances in family law cases such as disputes over who should retain custody over frozen embryos. A new case in Pennsylvania discusses whether a sperm donor is actually a third parent to the children his sperm created and whether those children are entitled to child support. The circumstances involving the sperm donation in this case are unusual and not the norm, due to the fact that the donor was a close friend of couple and not through the use of a "sperm bank". Under "normal" circumstances, the donor is aware that he is relinquishing any rights and obligations to any child which may be born from his sperm, and the couple who uses the sperm understand that they are accepting all the rights and obligations. Therefore, a child who is born through artificial insemination with the use of anonymous sperm, cannot request child support. However, this Pennsylvania case brings up interesting questions about a biological parent's duty to support a child if he or she does not formally waive any rights to that child.

To read about the Pennsylvania Case that this blog is based upon, see: http://www.ydr.com/newsfull/ci_5885563