The state of Connecticut is one of the most supportive U.S. states in which to have a surrogacy journey. This is due to the work of Worldwide Surrogacy’s Founder, Owner and Legal Director, Attorney Victoria Ferrara, who handled the landmark case of Raftopol v. Ramey. Ferrara argued before the Connecticut Supreme Court that intended parents should have parental rights as a direct result of the gestational surrogacy contract entered into by the gestational surrogate and the intended parents. As seen on ABC News, the Court agreed, and Attorney Ferrara won this landmark victory for surrogacy in Connecticut.
Thanks to this ruling, in Connecticut, intended parents can become the legal parents of their children prior to the birth of the child, whether they are straight or gay, married or unmarried and, most importantly, whether or not they have a genetic connection to their baby born through surrogacy. Surrogacy laws throughout the state of Connecticut are consistent whether in New Haven, Hartford, New London, Waterbury, or beyond.
Worldwide Surrogacy is very well situated to manage surrogacy in Connecticut and to recruit Connecticut surrogates for the following reasons:
- Worldwide Surrogacy is located in Connecticut
- Attorney Ferrara is an expert in and champion of Connecticut surrogacy law
- Attorney Ferrara routinely speaks and presents legal education seminars on surrogacy in Connecticut and in the United States, as well as international surrogacy
- The team at Worldwide Surrogacy is experienced and adept at recruiting the best surrogates in Connecticut due to their competent, compassionate and experienced case management expertise
To become a surrogate in Connecticut, apply here.
You may be wondering what the procedures to establish legal parental rights are in the state of Connecticut? First, the gestational surrogacy contract must be drafted in accordance with Connecticut’s surrogacy law. This is not difficult if the legal matter is in the hands of a qualified Connecticut surrogacy lawyer such as Attorney Ferrara or Attorney Donald Sherer. Second, the birth must take place in Connecticut (although there are some cases where a Connecticut pre-birth may be obtained and enforced in another state of birth).
Assuming the birth will take place in Connecticut, the surrogacy lawyer must make an application to the courts, and the intended parents and the gestational carrier (and her husband if she is married) must attend court one time for a brief hearing. The law in Connecticut is clear: the surrogacy pre-birth order will be granted. The only question is how the judge will handle the hearing. Some judges sign the order right away after the lawyer gives a brief summary, while some judges request that the parties give testimony. In those cases, a competent Connecticut surrogacy lawyer will know how to adapt to the judge’s requests and get the job done.
After the Connecticut surrogacy pre-birth order is granted, the lawyer who handles the case will obtain certified copies of the pre-birth order of legal parentage and make sure that the State Department of Vital Records receives a copy, as well as the hospital and all parties involved. In addition, a competent Connecticut surrogacy agency will make sure that the hospital’s legal counsel is advised of the pre-birth order so that at the time of the birth, there will be no question as to the legal parentage and parental rights of the intended parents. As always, the surrogate is the patient. She maintains her rights to make decisions for her own medical treatment and she is respected as the patient. Once the baby is born, however, all rights to care for and have legal custody of the baby belong to the intended parents.
For more information about surrogacy in Connecticut, Connecticut pre-birth orders, or becoming a surrogate in Connecticut, contact us at Worldwide Surrogacy.
