August 13, 2005

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    Gay men fight over custody of quads


    By VALARIE HONEYCUTT SPEARS

    Knight Ridder Newspapers


    LEXINGTON, Ky. — Two gay men who parented quadruplets and then a fifth child with a surrogate mother have been fighting for the quads’ custody more than a year, court records reveal.


    Moreover, Michael Meehan, the 3-year-olds’ biological father, alleges in court documents that the couple ended their same-sex-partner relationship two months before the quad babies were born in 2002. However, Meehan said, they continued to share expenses and purchased and shared a home and business.


    Also, Meehan alleges that Thomas Dysarz started dating someone else in the summer of 2003 and brought the man to live with the babies and Meehan.


    Dysarz had been seeking custody and time-sharing of the quadruplets. Meehan, a lawyer, is not seeking visitation with the fifth child, who is Dysarz’s 19-month-old biological son.


    The Kentucky Court of Appeals on Thursday dismissed Dysarz’s appeal of a Fayette Circuit Court decision that said he did not qualify as a “person acting as a parent” under Kentucky law and had no standing to bring a custody action.


    Court of Appeals records made public parts of the court case, which had been sealed since it was filed by Dysarz in June 2004.


    Meehan has custody of his biological children — the three boys and one girl born to Meehan and surrogate mother Brooke Verity on July 26, 2002.


    Dysarz said that Meehan had moved to Atlanta. Meehan could not be reached for comment.





    To reach Valarie Honeycutt Spears, send e-mail to vhoneycutt@herald-leader.com .