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Virginia Judge Uses 19th-Century Slavery Law to Rule Frozen Embryos Are Property
The Guardian (UK) ^ | 3/10/23 | AP

Posted on 03/17/2023 6:43:26 PM PDT by marshmallow

In divorce case judge rules human embryos may be valued and sold, and therefore may be considered ‘goods or chattels’

Frozen human embryos can legally be considered property, or “chattel”, a Virginia judge has ruled, basing his decision in part on a 19th-century law governing the treatment of enslaved people.

The preliminary opinion by a Fairfax county circuit court judge, Richard Gardiner, which he delivered in a long-running dispute between a divorced husband and wife, is being criticized by some for wrongly and unnecessarily delving into a time in Virginia history when it was legal to own human beings.

“It’s repulsive and it’s morally repugnant,” said Susan Crockin, a lawyer and scholar at Georgetown University’s Kennedy Institute of Ethics and an expert in reproductive technology law.

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: Moral Issues; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: donatefreerepublic; impeachgardiner; richardgardiner

1 posted on 03/17/2023 6:43:26 PM PDT by marshmallow
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To: marshmallow

Children are property?


2 posted on 03/17/2023 6:44:46 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire, or both.)
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To: BenLurkin

To the globalists and leftists (read: most judges), children ARE property, property of the STATE! As are ALL proles!

That is the view of most leftist politicians.


3 posted on 03/17/2023 7:47:23 PM PDT by A Formerly Proud Canadian ( Ceterum autem censeo Justinius True-dope-us esse delendam)
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To: marshmallow

There are a lot of these cases where there is a divorce and the embryos are the only chance for the woman ever to have children. Nearly always the woman wants the embryos, occasionally a man wants to donate them.

Judges always rule that the ex-spouse has the “right to choose” that the embryos be destroyed.

All the contracts that the couple sign must have clauses about storage and the fate of unused embryos - they should also have a mandatory clause about custody and implantation in case of divorce.

I think life should prevail...whoever wants to give the embryos a chance at life should prevail. Eliminate child support in such cases.

States don’t want to write laws so it goes back to the contract.

Hard hearts, hard cases, bad law.


4 posted on 03/17/2023 7:52:57 PM PDT by heartwood (Someone has to play devil's advocate.)
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To: heartwood

“ I think life should prevail...whoever wants to give the embryos a chance at life should prevail. Eliminate child support in such cases.”
***************************************************

I agree that life should prevail.

Elimination of child support? Yes, probably if that is agreed as condition for the embryo “ownership” transfer.


5 posted on 03/17/2023 7:57:18 PM PDT by House Atreides (I’m now ULTRA-MAGA. -PRO-MAX)
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