Maryland Surrogacy Lawyer
The Law Office of Neveen H. Kurtom, LLC is dedicated to assisting couples and singles in the parentage process in the State of Maryland. We proudly provide legal services for any third-party reproduction arrangements including the drafting, negotiating, reviewing and finalizing of all legal forms. We assist our clients in:
Gestational surrogacy agreements
Embryo donation agreements
Sperm donation agreements
Egg donation agreements
Pre-birth orders
Post-birth orders
Traditional Surrogacy v. Gestational Surrogacy
There are two (2) types of surrogacy: traditional and gestational. Traditional surrogacy is where the surrogate is both the egg donor and the surrogate. The surrogate is genetically related to the child. Gestational surrogacy is when an embryo is created through in vitro ferritization (“IVF”) and is transferred to the uterus of the surrogate who then carries and delivers the child. The surrogate’s egg is not sued and she is not genetically related to the child.
Maryland Law
In 2007, the Maryland Court of Appeals made a ruling that indirectly approved gestational surrogacy agreements. Although there are no surrogacy laws in Maryland, surrogacy is implicitly legal in Maryland today. It should be noted, however, that the Maryland Attorney General released an opinion regarding compensated traditional surrogacy arrangements. In said opinion, it stated that “surrogacy contracts that involve the payment of a fee to the birth mother, are in most instances, illegal and unenforceable under Maryland law.” Thus, traditional surrogacy in Maryland comes with a potential of legal challenges.
PRE-BIRTH AND POST-BIRTH ORDERS
The Law Office of Neveen H. Kurtom provides the services that you need to obtain a pre-birth order or post-birth order (or both if necessary). These orders will determine the legal parentage and ensures legal status of all parties. To obtain a parentage order, the gestational surrogate should be around three (3) months pregnant so that all the parties can have adequate time for the court to process the order before the child is born. If the child is born without the pre-birth order, we can still assist the parties in obtaining a post-birth order instead.
If you are considering surrogacy in Maryland, the Law Office of Neveen H. Kurtom, LLC can help. Ms. Kurtom will prepare and review your gestational carrier agreement, review contracts with surrogacy agencies, and seek pre-birth and post-birth orders on your behalf. She will directly work with you to keep you informed and make the process as seamless as possible. Ms. Kurtom is dedicated to protecting her clients and their children as they go through the surrogacy process. If you have any questions, please contact us at (443) 741-2567 and we would be happy to meet with you to discuss your needs.