Court Says Lesbian May Seek Parental Rights

The state Supreme Court ruled in Olympia that a woman who raised a child from birth while in a relationship with the girl’s biological mother could seek rights as a “de facto parent,” essentially creating a new class of parent in the state.

“Today we hold that our common law recognizes the status of de facto parents and places them in parity with biological and adoptive parents in our state,” the court, led by Justice Bobbe J. Bridge, wrote in the 7-2 decision.