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By Matthew Cullinan Hoffman, Latin America Correspondent

MONTPELIER, Vermont, November 2, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Ex-lesbian Lisa Miller has lost an appeal to the Vermont Supreme Court to overturn a ruling transferring custody of her daughter to her former lesbian partner.

According to Miller attorney Rena Lindevaldsen, the court refused to address the issue of Miller's constitutional rights as a parent, and claimed that the transfer of eight-year-old Isabella to her mother's former lesbian lover was in the child's best interests.

“It's disappointing that after seven years of litigation, that no court has in any state has ever addressed Lisa's fundamental parental rights,” Lindevaldsen told LifeSiteNews. “And so as we stand right now we have an order stripping her of custody, and never having addressed her right as a parent to raise her child.”

Lindevaldsen said that Miller's legal team is currently awaiting a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to hear an appeal in a related case in Virginia, where courts have decided to accept a custody transfer order issued in Vermont. She added that if that appeal fails or is denied, they will consider another Supreme Court appeal based on today's decision in Vermont.

Miller, 41 conceived her daughter by artificial insemination while in a Vermont civil union with her lesbian partner Janet Jenkins.  Miller says she left Jenkins after suffering abuse at her hands, and soon after rejected the lesbian lifestyle, returning to her childhood faith in Christ.  After years of resisting court-ordered visits that she said were harming her daughter, Miller was ordered by a Vermont court to transfer permanent custody of Isabella to Janet Jenkins in late 2009.

However, by the time the transfer order had been issued, Miller had already disappeared with Isabella, who is now eight years old. Her whereabouts remain unknown. A warrant has been issued for her arrest in the state of Vermont, although Virginia courts have thus far refused to issue a warrant there.

Previous LifeSiteNews coverage:

Lisa Miller's Daughter Appeared Traumatized by Visits with Lesbian 'Mother,' Court Documents Reveal  
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/mar/10030512.html

Arrest Warrant Issued for Lisa Miller in Vermont  
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/feb/10022310.html

Lisa Miller Safe for Now: Virginia Judge Refuses to Issue Arrest Warrant  
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/feb/10021807.html

Lesbian Janet Jenkins Begins Media Campaign to Gain Custody of Ex-Partner's Child  
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/feb/10020306.html

Judge Gives Miller 30 Days to Transfer Daughter to Former Lesbian Lover or Face Arrest  
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jan/10012901.html

Exclusive Interview with Lisa Miller, Ex-Lesbian Fighting for Custody of Own Child against “Civil Union” Partner  
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/oct/08102707.html