Case: Roe v. Patton

2:15-cv-00253 | U.S. District Court for the District of Utah

Filed Date: April 13, 2015

Closed Date: Oct. 20, 2015

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Case Summary

On April 13, 2015, a same-sex married couple filed this lawsuit against Utah in the District Court of the District of Utah. Suing under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the plaintiffs asked for a preliminary injunction requiring the defendant to apply the relevant sections of the Utah Uniform Parentage Act to female spouses of women who give birth through assisted reproduction using donor sperm in the same way they apply the assisted-reproduction statutes to male spouses in the same situation. Specifically, t…

On April 13, 2015, a same-sex married couple filed this lawsuit against Utah in the District Court of the District of Utah. Suing under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the plaintiffs asked for a preliminary injunction requiring the defendant to apply the relevant sections of the Utah Uniform Parentage Act to female spouses of women who give birth through assisted reproduction using donor sperm in the same way they apply the assisted-reproduction statutes to male spouses in the same situation. Specifically, the plaintiffs sought an order requiring the defendant to recognize both of them as legal parents of their child and to issue a birth certificate for the child that identifies them both as legal parents.

On July 22, 2015, the District Court (Judge Dee Benson) issued a preliminary injunction enjoining the defendant from enforcing the sections of its Uniform Parentage Act at issue in a way that differentiates between male spouses of women who give birth through assisted reproduction with donor sperm and similarly situated female spouses of women. Roe v. Patton, No. 2:15-cv-00253-DB, 2015 WL 4476734, at *1 (D. Utah. July 22, 2015). The defendants complied with the injunction, including issuing a birth certificate for the plaintiffs' child listing them both as parents.

On October 16, 2015, the plaintiffs and defendants submitted a joint stipulated proposed order granting a permanent injunction.

On October 20, 2015, the District Court (Judge Dee Benson) converted the preliminary injunction to a permanent injunction and awarded $24,302 in attorney's fees and costs to the plaintiffs.

Summary Authors

Sarah Precup (10/26/2015)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4402999/parties/roe-v-patton/


Judge(s)

Benson, Dee Vance (Utah)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Block, Joshua A (New York)

Farrell, Leah M. (Utah)

Mejia, John (Utah)

Attorney for Defendant

Douglas, Parker (Utah)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

2:15-cv-00253

Docket [PACER]

Oct. 20, 2015

Oct. 20, 2015

Docket
2

2:15-cv-00253

Complaint

April 13, 2015

April 13, 2015

Complaint
15

2:15-cv-00253

Memorandum Decision and Order Granting Preliminary Injunction

July 22, 2015

July 22, 2015

Order/Opinion

2015 WL 4476734

17-1

2:15-cv-00253

Stipulation and Joint Motion to Enter Permanent Injunction

Oct. 16, 2015

Oct. 16, 2015

Pleading / Motion / Brief
18

2:15-cv-00253

Order Granting Injunction

Oct. 20, 2015

Oct. 20, 2015

Order/Opinion

Resources

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4402999/roe-v-patton/

Last updated Dec. 17, 2024, 8:47 p.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: Utah

Case Type(s):

Public Benefits/Government Services

Special Collection(s):

Same-Sex Marriage

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: April 13, 2015

Closing Date: Oct. 20, 2015

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

A same-sex couple who jointly decided to have a child together with the assistance of sperm from an anonymous donor.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Attorney Organizations:

ACLU Affiliates (any)

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Utah, State

Defendant Type(s):

Jurisdiction-wide

Facility Type(s):

Government-run

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Equal Protection

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Complaint (any)

Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Attorneys fees

Preliminary injunction / Temp. restraining order

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Litigation

Form of Settlement:

Confession of Judgment

Content of Injunction:

Preliminary relief granted

Discrimination Prohibition

Amount Defendant Pays: 24,302

Order Duration: 2015 - None

Issues

General/Misc.:

Adoption

Juveniles

Marriage

Record-keeping

Discrimination Area:

Disparate Treatment

Discrimination Basis:

Family discrimination

Sex discrimination

Sexual orientation

Affected Sex/Gender(s):

Female

LGBTQ+:

LGBTQ+