Opinion

Editorial: Supreme Court got it right in Baby Veronica case

Friday, June 28, 2013

Oklahoma newspaper says U.S. Supreme Court made the right decision in Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl, an Indian Child Welfare Act case:

In the legal documentation that came before the U.S. Supreme Court, she is simply known as “Baby Girl.” That's where the simplicity ends.
At 3 years old, Veronica has been at the center of an adoption case so controversial that even after a ruling Tuesday from the nation's highest court, the toddler's fate isn't clear. Still, the court's decision in this high-stakes tug-of-war that has roots in Oklahoma was the right one and, we hope, will jump-start efforts to return the girl to her adoptive parents.
Every adoption case has its nuances. Veronica's case didn't initially appear to be unusually complicated. The mother and father, who were both living in Oklahoma, weren't married; the father had not even feigned interest. He offered no support for mother or baby and told the mother via text message before the baby's birth that he relinquished his rights. The mother, working through an adoption agency, selected a South Carolina couple to become the baby's adoptive parents. They attended the birth in Oklahoma.

Get the Story:
Editorial: In Baby Veronica case, high court got it right (The Oklahoman 6/27)

Another Opinion:
Marcia Zug: The court got Baby Veronica wrong (The Keene Sentinel 6/27)

Supreme Court Decision:
Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl (June 25, 2013)

Oral Argument Transcript:
Adoptive Couple v. Cherokee Nation (April 16, 2013)

South Carolina Supreme Court Decision:
Adoptive Couple v. Cherokee Nation (July 26, 2012)