In the 2011 Raftopol v. Ramey case, Victoria Ferrara was lead counsel for the plaintiffs, where she helped them obtain legal parenthood without having to adopt their baby born through surrogacy.

In the decision, the court interpreted a Connecticut state statute to mean that if you are not biologically related to your child, but you sign a valid gestational agreement prior to the child’s birth, you are the child’s legal parent. Before this ruling, legal parentage could only be established after the child was born through adoption.

After the Supreme Court decision, the state legislature overwhelmingly passed an amendment to the statute at issue to clarify ambiguities identified by the court and to support the decision.

An Experienced Professional Can Ensure a Watertight Gestational Agreement

In Connecticut, an intended parent now has the right to be a legal parent – as long as the gestational agreement is found valid by the court. It is therefore crucial to consult an attorney with extensive knowledge about the requirements for such a contract.

Attorney Ferrara stated in a presentation to the American Bar Association, “Surrogacy is an arrangement of fragile relationships and risks. The relationships are made stronger with the help of competent professionals… during all phases of the surrogacy journey.”