Woodward v. Commissioner of Social Security case
brief summary
760 N.E.2d 257 (2002)
CASE FACTS
Plaintiff wife gave birth to twin girls. The children were conceived through artificial insemination using her deceased husband's preserved semen. Later, the wife applied for Social Security survivor benefits. Defendant commission denied benefits, concluding, among other things, the children did not qualify for benefits because they were not entitled to inherit from the husband under the Massachusetts intestacy and paternity laws. The wife appealed to the federal court, which certified a question to the state court.
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION
The state court answered the question as follows: in certain circumstances, a child resulting from posthumous reproduction may enjoy the inheritance rights. These limited circumstances include, inter alia, where it is demonstrated: (1) a genetic relationship exists between the child and the decedent, and (2) the decedent affirmatively consented to posthumous conception and to support of any resulting child.
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760 N.E.2d 257 (2002)
CASE SYNOPSIS
The United States District
Court for the District of Massachusetts certified the question: if a
married man and woman arrange for sperm to be withdrawn from the
husband for the purpose of artificially impregnating the wife, and
the woman is impregnated with that sperm after the man has died, will
children resulting from such pregnancy enjoy the inheritance rights
of natural children under Massachusetts' law of intestate succession?CASE FACTS
Plaintiff wife gave birth to twin girls. The children were conceived through artificial insemination using her deceased husband's preserved semen. Later, the wife applied for Social Security survivor benefits. Defendant commission denied benefits, concluding, among other things, the children did not qualify for benefits because they were not entitled to inherit from the husband under the Massachusetts intestacy and paternity laws. The wife appealed to the federal court, which certified a question to the state court.
DISCUSSION
- The state court advised that to answer the certified question, it must consider whether and to what extent such children could take as intestate heirs of the deceased genetic parent consistent with the purposes of the Massachusetts intestacy statute, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190, and not by any assumptions of the common law.
- Further, the state court indicated the question whether posthumously conceived genetic children could enjoy inheritance rights under the intestacy statute implicated three powerful state interests: the best interests of children, the state's interest in the orderly administration of estates, and the reproductive rights of the genetic parent.
CONCLUSION
The state court answered the question as follows: in certain circumstances, a child resulting from posthumous reproduction may enjoy the inheritance rights. These limited circumstances include, inter alia, where it is demonstrated: (1) a genetic relationship exists between the child and the decedent, and (2) the decedent affirmatively consented to posthumous conception and to support of any resulting child.
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