UK: Lesbian 'mother' cannot be forced to pay maintenance

Article here. Excerpt:

"Mr Justice Moylan said the former couple never went through a civil partnership ceremony and as the law stands, the woman who did not have the child could not be defined as a ''parent''.

He said the woman, identified only as B, was a ''social and psychological'' parent of the child born in 2000.

But he said the law differentiates between ''natural'' parent and a legal one.

''I have come to the clear conclusion that those against whom orders can be made... are confined to those who are a parent in the legal meaning of that word.''

The judge said B had won an order in the courts for shared residence with the child and had therefore acquired parental responsibility.

''This might appear a persuasive point save for the fact that the mere obtaining of parental responsibility is clearly not intended to make someone a legal parent when they would not otherwise be such.''

The judge added: ''In some respects the outcome in this case may seem objectively surprising.

''However, in my view it is for the legislature to determine who should be financially responsible for children if it is to extend beyond those who are legal parents..."