Home > Great American Court Cases > In the Matter of Baby M

Legal Citation: 537 A.2d 1127 (1988)

Appellant
Mary Beth Whitehead

Appellees
William and Elizabeth Stern

Appellant's Claim
That the surrogacy contract was invalid and conflicted with parental rights and adoption statutes.

Chief Lawyers for Appellant
Harold Cassidy, Randy Wolf

Chief Lawyer for Appellees
Gary Skoloff

Justices for the Court
Robert Clifford, Marie L. Garibaldi, Alan B. Handler, Daniel O'Horn, Stewart G. Pollock, Gary S. Stein, Robert N. Wilentz (writing for the court)

Justices Dissenting
None

Place
Trenton, New Jersey

Date of Decision
3 February 1988

Decision
The New Jersey Supreme Court invalidated the surrogacy contract, finding it contrary to New Jersey law. It restored Whitehead's parental rights and invalidated Elizabeth Stern's...