No. 19-1385

Kristina Box, Commissioner, Indiana Department of Health v. Ashlee Henderson, et al.

Lower Court: Seventh Circuit
Docketed: 2020-06-17
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Amici (1)Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2) Experienced Counsel
Tags: biological-parentage biology-based birth-certificate birth-certificates due-process equal-protection fourteenth-amendment marital-status parentage presumption rebuttable-presumption
Key Terms:
DueProcess JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2020-12-11 (distributed 2 times)
Question Presented (AI Summary)

May a State, consistent with the Fourteenth Amendment Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses, adopt a biology-based birth-certificate system that includes a rebuttable presumption that a birth mother's husband—but not wife—is the child's biological parent?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTION PRESENTED In Pavan v. Smith, 187 S. Ct. 2075, 2078-79 (2017), the Court said that while a State may adopt a biology-based birth-certificate system, if it instead “uses those certificates to give married parents a form of legal recognition that is not available to unmarried parents,” it must afford the same recognition to oppositeand same-sex marriages. The Court thus invalidated a law that placed the name of a birth-mother’s husband—but not wife—on the birth certificate of a child conceived using donor sperm. Such a law makes “birth certificates about more than just genetics” but fails to treat all marriages alike. Jd. at 2078. Here, the Seventh Circuit affirmed that a State may “establish[] a birth-certificate regimen that uses biology rather than marital status to identify parentage.” App. 10a. Yet it held that Indiana’s birth-certificate system is based on marriage rather than biology—and is Indiana presumes, subject to evidentiary rebuttal, that a birth-mother’s husband (but not wife) is the child’s biological father. Id. This case thus presents the following question: May a State, consistent with the Fourteenth Amendment Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses, adopt a biology-based birth-certificate system that includes a rebuttable presumption that a birth mother’s husband—but not wife—is the child’s biological parent?

Docket Entries

2020-12-14
Petition DENIED.
2020-11-24
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/11/2020.
2020-11-23
Reply of petitioner Kristina Box, In Her Official Capacity as Commissioner, Indiana State Department of Health filed. (Distributed)
2020-11-10
Brief of respondents Ashlee and Ruby Henderson, et al. in opposition filed.
2020-10-28
Brief amicus curiae of Them Before Us filed.
2020-10-13
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including November 10, 2020.
2020-10-09
Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 28, 2020 to November 10, 2020, submitted to The Clerk.
2020-09-28
Response Requested. (Due October 28, 2020)
2020-07-01
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2020.
2020-06-23
Waiver of right of respondent Ashlee and Ruby Henderson, et al. to respond filed.
2020-06-15
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due July 17, 2020)

Attorneys

Ashlee and Ruby Henderson, et al.
Karen Celestino-HorsemanLaw Office of Karen Celestino-Horseman, Respondent
Karen Celestino-HorsemanLaw Office of Karen Celestino-Horseman, Respondent
Kristina Box, In Her Official Capacity as Commissioner, Indiana State Department of Health
Thomas M. Fisher — Petitioner
Thomas M. Fisher — Petitioner
Them Before Us
Gene Clayton SchaerrSchaerr | Jaffe, Amicus
Gene Clayton SchaerrSchaerr | Jaffe, Amicus