LegalBeagle
Senior Member
The sad fact is, biologically, these are the man's own babies.
So, would he be able to petition for visitation in later years? Can the surrogate mother petition for CS? Interesting questions which have been raised over the last few years.
SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - A California couple who hired a British woman to have a baby for them and then backed out when they found she was carrying twins will continue paying her medical expenses despite their bitter court battle, attorneys have said.
Surrogate mother Helen Beasley, 26, who is preparing to deliver twins in December, will receive $6,500 from Charles Wheeler and Martha Berman of Berkeley, California on Monday, the couple's attorney, Monty McIntyre said.
The couple will "continue to make payments to Ms. Beasley in the future consistent with the schedule set forth in the (original) contract," McIntyre said. "Their concern is to make sure medical care and attention is given to make sure that the unborn children are getting good medical treatment," McIntyre said.
The couple, whom Beasley found via the Internet, were to pay her about $19,000 to carry the baby to term.
McIntyre declined to comment on how much Beasley, a legal secretary and single mother of a 7-year-old boy, has received to date. Neither Beasley nor her lawyer were available for comment.
Beasley struck the surrogacy deal with Wheeler and Berman in February. She later gave her verbal consent to undergo an abortion procedure called "selective reduction" before the 12th week of pregnancy if there were multiple fetuses, according to court papers.
The following month, Beasley was impregnated with Wheeler's sperm and a donated egg. During the eighth week of pregnancy, Beasley told the couple she was carrying twins. She alleged that Wheeler and Berman waited until the 13th week before instructing her to abort one of the fetuses. She refused and later moved to San Diego to give birth and pressure the couple to take responsibility for the babies.
In June, the couple contacted Beasley through an attorney, who said they were not interested in taking the children, and that she should assign her surrogacy agreement to other parents.
On Aug. 1, Beasley sued the couple in San Diego Family Court for breach of contract and fraud, seeking unspecified damages for medical expenses and emotional suffering. The case has yet to be resolved.
So, would he be able to petition for visitation in later years? Can the surrogate mother petition for CS? Interesting questions which have been raised over the last few years.
SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - A California couple who hired a British woman to have a baby for them and then backed out when they found she was carrying twins will continue paying her medical expenses despite their bitter court battle, attorneys have said.
Surrogate mother Helen Beasley, 26, who is preparing to deliver twins in December, will receive $6,500 from Charles Wheeler and Martha Berman of Berkeley, California on Monday, the couple's attorney, Monty McIntyre said.
The couple will "continue to make payments to Ms. Beasley in the future consistent with the schedule set forth in the (original) contract," McIntyre said. "Their concern is to make sure medical care and attention is given to make sure that the unborn children are getting good medical treatment," McIntyre said.
The couple, whom Beasley found via the Internet, were to pay her about $19,000 to carry the baby to term.
McIntyre declined to comment on how much Beasley, a legal secretary and single mother of a 7-year-old boy, has received to date. Neither Beasley nor her lawyer were available for comment.
Beasley struck the surrogacy deal with Wheeler and Berman in February. She later gave her verbal consent to undergo an abortion procedure called "selective reduction" before the 12th week of pregnancy if there were multiple fetuses, according to court papers.
The following month, Beasley was impregnated with Wheeler's sperm and a donated egg. During the eighth week of pregnancy, Beasley told the couple she was carrying twins. She alleged that Wheeler and Berman waited until the 13th week before instructing her to abort one of the fetuses. She refused and later moved to San Diego to give birth and pressure the couple to take responsibility for the babies.
In June, the couple contacted Beasley through an attorney, who said they were not interested in taking the children, and that she should assign her surrogacy agreement to other parents.
On Aug. 1, Beasley sued the couple in San Diego Family Court for breach of contract and fraud, seeking unspecified damages for medical expenses and emotional suffering. The case has yet to be resolved.