Ruling Says Lesbian Can Sue for Visitation

A lesbian is entitled to sue for visitation rights to her ex-lover’s child, a Texas appeals court ruled, providing gay partners a legal standing denied in some other states. The ruling didn’t turn on the question of Lisa Ann Fowler’s sexual orientation or decide whether she actually should be allowed to visit the child, who was conceived with the help of a sperm donor. Rather, the decision was based on a provision in state law that says such a lawsuit may be brought by a person “who has had actual care, control, and possession of the child for not less than six months preceding the filing of the petition.”