In September 2010, the District Court of Appeal for the Third Circuit ruled that the ban on homosexual adoptions in Florida was unconstitutional. See Florida Department of Children and Families v. X.X.G., 45 So.3d 79 (Fla. 3rd DCA 2010). Until this decision, Florida was the only remaining state to expressly ban all gay adoptions without exception.
Since the Court’s decision, home studies are no longer qualified based on sexual orientation, and gay and lesbian individuals have been able to adopt in a variety of situations. Gay and lesbian individuals are now freely able to sign up on an adoption agency’s waiting list, adopt their foster care child(ren), or even adopt their partner’s child(ren) [see Second Parent Adoptions].
Please contact Tate Healey Webster ([email protected] or 813.258.3355) if you have questions regarding gay and lesbian adoption. Jeanne has over 40 years of experience in adoption and we are available to assist you in your efforts to complete your family through adoption.