Checked up on this story I think I've got the 'whole' story now that might change an opinion or two, maybe.
Adoptive parents win father's custody battle
Globe and Mail
The biological father of an infant boy has lost a high-profile custody battle in Saskatchewan after a court decision granted full custody to the child's guardians and banned the natural father from seeing the child for a year.[/p] In a 35-page judgment released Monday, the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench said the unofficial adoption had served in the child's best interests, and should be maintained.[/p] "It is clear that they present an environment that will best provide for his health, education, emotional well being, opportunity for training and economic and intellectual pursuits," wrote Justice Shawn Smith.[/p] The court found the biological father — referred to in the judgment under the pseudonym "Adam" — was capable of having a positive presence in the life of baby "Ian", but not in a parental role.[/p]
Due to that, the court ordered the biological father not gain access to the child for one year, unless all parties agreed otherwise. That would give the child a year of "familial calm" to promote bonding and attachment in his current home, the judgment states.[/p] The high-profile case stretches back to autumn 2005, when the child's biological mother "Rose" realized she was pregnant.[/p] Rose and Adam ended their short-lived relationship after an alcohol-fuelled violent incident in mid-2005. [/p] [p style="font-weight: bold;"] In a bid to create a better life for her child, the biological mother sought out family friends "Linda and Dave Turner" and, after much consideration and consultation with counsellors and lawyers, the Turners took the child into their home immediately after his birth.[/p] "Having brought Ian home from the hospital, he has, as is the nature of babies, become the centre of their universe," wrote Judge Smith. "They love him as if he were their own."[/p] The mother stated in guardianship documents that she didn't know who the father was. A DNA test later confirmed the paternity.[/p] The father found out the woman was pregnant a few weeks before the baby was born, and with his fiancée, sought avenues to gain custody of the baby boy.[/p] But on Monday, he lost the long court process to gain custody of his biological son.[/p] [p style="font-weight: bold;"] While the court said Adam displayed the protective instincts of a father and seemed willing to take on the lifelong role of parent, there were many unknowns, mainly stemming from his relationship and family history.[/p] "When one considers the path Adam has travelled, it is, perhaps, not surprising that he presents as emotionally fragile. However, it is appropriate to note that he has shown grit and determination in his pursuit for custody of his child," the judge wrote. "Many in his circumstance would have faltered. He has not."[/p] [p style="font-weight: bold;"] Yet in the end, being an "adequate" parent was not the best test to determine what was in the best interests for that child, and the judge concluded that "from all the evidence, without hesitation, ... Ian's best interests are served by granting custody to the Turners."[/p]
