A Pennsylvania man has petitioned a county court to annul the adoption of his adult son so that the two can legally marry.
The man, Nino Esposito, adopted his son-turned-fiancé, Roland Bosee, Jr., three years ago, claiming that adopting the man would save money on inheritance taxes in Pennsylvania. Esposito and Bosee were previously in a same-sex relationship and opted for adoption in lieu of marriage because marriage had not yet been redefined. They are now interested in dissolving the adoption in favor of a marriage, but an Alleghany County Judge has ruled that there is no legal means to dissolve an adoption in Pennsylvania unless there is fraud involved.
Enter U.S. Senator Bob Casey.
In a letter written to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Senator Casey asked the Obama Administration to intervene to set forth “guidelines” on how to handle cases like these, encouraging the White House to be “creative” in devising a response that is respectful of the reality that adoption laws are passed at the sole discretion of individual states.
This is the first effort in what is expected to be many efforts to reshape adoption policy to cater to same-sex couples after the Obergefell v. Hodges ruling last summer.
Some argue that this arrangement was just a workaround for tax purposes, but the case has undeniable implications for other, more conventional, familial relationships. What will be the government’s response when a biological father wants to marry his son? Or if any adopted parent wants to marry his or her child the day they turn 18?
After all, love is love.
Changing the law to allow fathers to marry their legally-adopted sons is a troubling precedent to say the least.
The lower court’s decision has been appealed and is expected to be heard by the Pennsylvania Superior Court.
