By Matthew Cullinan Hoffman
VIRGINIA, September 24, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Lisa Miller says that if she doesn't hand her daughter over to her former lesbian partner later this week, she may lose custody of her.
Although Miller long ago left the lesbian lifestyle and returned to her childhood Christian faith, Vermont judge Richard Cohen has ruled that her former partner, Janet Jenkins, has visitation rights, and is the child's other “parent.”
Miller told LifeSiteNews in a recent interview that during the latest “status conference” with Cohen, her attorney was told that the judge is fed up with her repeated “disobedience” to his visitation orders.
“He said that there is going to be another visitation at the end of this month, and that if I do not give that visitation” he implied that “he would be forced to transfer custody at that time,” said Miller.
Although Jenkins' attorney was expected to request a custody transfer during the status conference, Cohen did not act to transfer the seven year old girl, who Miller says has complained of being forced to bathe naked with Jenkins, and has mentioned wanting to die following one visit.
Miller has waged a battle for years to prevent the visitations. The last one occurred in January of this year.
“We just keep on praying, and we don't loose hope, and we look to the Lord for his mercy and his justice,” said Miller. “I really really believe that this case God is using to not only bring people to him, to Christ, but also to bring Christians to a better understanding that we need to take a stand for what is right and continue with that, with his help, and with his grace, because that's the only way that I've been able to get through all of this.”
Although Miller and her daughter live in Virginia, which has a constitutional amendment denying same-sex “marriage” and civil unions, the state courts have thus far accepted Cohen's visitation rulings. These rulings are based on a Vermont civil union entered into by the couple shortly before Isabella's conception by artificial insemination.
Miller hopes that an upcoming appeal will protect her daughter against further forced visitations with someone Miller says she does not want to see.
“I'm still putting my trust in God that he's going to turn the hearts of the Virginia judges because we still have an appeal we're waiting on should be heard sometime in October or November,” Miller said.
Contact information:
Judge William D. Cohen
RUTLAND SUPERIOR COURT
83 Center Street, Suite 3
Rutland, VT 05701
(802) 775-4394
(Please be polite and respectful in your communications)
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Previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
Mother Told that Daughter Will Be Taken from Her by Force for Visits with Lesbian
Mother Refuses All Further “Parental” Visits with Daughter by Former Lesbian Partner as Trial Looms