Expatica news

Dutch judge to resolve tug-o-war baby row

5 September 2005

BRUSSELS — The legal saga surrounding a Belgian surrogate baby continued on Monday when the Ghent Court of Appeal declared it did not have the jurisdiction to rule on the matter.

Baby Donna was given by a Flemish surrogate mother to a Dutch couple after initially promising the child to a Belgian couple.

The Dutch couple is now trying to adopt the child, but the intended Belgian parents are fighting the matter. 

And the Ghent appeals court ruled on Monday that because the baby is currently living in the Netherlands, a Dutch judge must decide the child’s fate.

A Dutch court can, however, transfer its authority over to the Belgian judiciary, but the involved parties must give their consent.

That assent was not given, Belgian newspaper ‘De Standaard’ reported.

The Children’s Court in Oudenaarde in Belgium had earlier placed the baby at the end of June under supervision of Flemish youth services.

However, that decision was annulled by Monday’s court ruling.

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

Subject: Belgian + Dutch news