Greenville Attorneys Offer Legal Assistance to Parents-to-Be

As the field of reproductive medicine has grown, so has a host of new legal issues. Reproductive technology has raised many questions regarding rights and custody issues, especially when third-party procedures are used. These include sperm donation, egg donation, and surrogacy.

A field of law has developed called Family Building Law or Assisted Reproductive Technology Law. Lawyers are now specializing in this field to protect the rights of parents, children, donors and surrogates.

Greenville Law Practices

Before you begin an third-party procedure, it is very important you talk first with a lawyer who specializes in reproductive law. These lawyers can help protect your rights by drawing up contracts, and can also help you deal with other issues regarding insurance claim denials and embryo disposition.

The following South Carolina attorneys offer legal assistance to residents in the Greenville area:

• James Fletcher Thompson
• L. Dale Dove
• Stephen Yacobi

Surrogacy

Surrogacy is widely considered the most legally complex of all of the assisted reproductive technology options, so be sure to retain the services of an experienced attorney before you begin the process.

While South Carolina has no explicit laws that deal with surrogacy, court law seems to be in favor of surrogacy agreements. So before you begin the surrogacy process, have your reproductive lawyer draw up a surrogacy agreement.

Surrogacy agreements clearly state the rights and responsibilities of the intended parents and the surrogate, as well as clarify the custody of the resulting child. They also explain what the surrogacy fee will be, and how it will be distributed.

Surrogacy usually entails a base fee, and some may also offer additional fees. These include fees for invasive procedures, multiple pregnancies, multiple births, or caesarian sections.

Adoption

Your adoption attorney will help you understand how the adoption laws pertain to your situation. He or she will also draw up a post-adoption agreement, which will clarify the custody of the child and the role the birth parents will play. if any, in the child’s life.