Two unsuccessful bites at the legal parenthood cherry – really in the child's best interests?

This case review considers Theis J's judgment in Re Z (Surrogacy: Step-parent Adoption) [2024] EWFC 20, in which she refused a step-parent adoption order but made several other orders in relation to contact and the exercise of parental responsibility between the three adults involved. I posit that while the judgment probably represents the best possible outcome all round – especially the best interests of the child at its heart – it does not reflect the lived reality of most surrogacy agreements entered into in this country, or the experiences of those involved. It does, however, indicate that proposed reforms as recommended by the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission in 2023 would be welcome, especially as the intention behind them is precisely to protect against breakdowns in surrogacy arrangements such as sadly happened in this case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]