THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT CLARIFIES PATERNITY RIGHTS IN HOME SPERM DONOR CASES–BRITO V. SALAS
In a closely watched and 4–3 decision, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that a man who provides sperm for an at-home artificial insemination does not automatically give up his paternal rights under Florida law simply by donating his sperm. This decision comes from Brito v. Salas, a case that challenges long-standing assumptions about sperm donor rights and how paternity statutes apply outside clinical settings.
Case Background
• Parties Involved:
Angel Rivera donated his sperm to Ashley Brito and Jennifer Salas, a same-sex couple, who used it through a do-it-yourself (DIY) at-home insemination kit. After becoming pregnant, Brito and Salas married, and both were listed on the child’s birth certificate.
• Separation and Legal Action:
More than a year after the child’s birth, Brito and Salas separated. Rivera then filed in circuit court seeking to be legally declared the child’s father and to assert parental rights.
What the Supreme Court Decided
The core issue was whether section 742.14 of the Florida Statutes–which generally says sperm donors relinquish all rights and obligations to children conceived from their donation–applies when conception occurs outside of assisted reproductive technology (ART) such as lab-based procedures.
The Florida Supreme Court held that it does not. The Court explained that:
• The statutory language was intended to apply to ART procedures involving laboratory handling of reproductive material — e.g., in vitro fertilization in a clinical setting.
• Because the child in this case was conceived via at-home insemination, which does not involve the kind of laboratory processes defined as ART, Rivera’s rights were not automatically relinquished by statute.
Important nuance:
The decision does not itself establish Rivera as a legal parent. It simply means he was not automatically barred by statute from asserting paternal rights. Whether he actually has parental rights will still depend on other Florida paternity laws and best-interest analyses if a lower court ultimately considers those issues.
Split Court and Dissent
The Court was sharply divided (4–3). The dissent argued that:
• The plain wording of the statute broadly covers sperm donors regardless of the method of insemination.
• Allowing the donor to seek parental rights could introduce three legal parents, which they suggested conflicts with Florida’s longstanding parentage scheme.
Why This Matters for Family Law and Reproductive Choices
This decision is novel and significant because Florida’s prior case law and statute were written long before DIY insemination kits became common. Brito v. Salas signals that:
• Florida courts may treat non-clinic sperm donations differently than clinic-based ART for legal purposes.
• Individuals who provide sperm privately might not be shielded by the automatic statutory relinquishment that applies to licensed sperm banks and controlled clinical procedures.
• Intended parents using known (non-anonymous) donors — especially outside clinics — should be mindful that simply donating sperm doesn’t auto-mat-ically bar donor rights unless there’s a valid legal framework (contracts, adoption, etc.) in place.
This case highlights the growing legal complexities created by “DIY fertility” trends, where informal or private donor agreements may produce consequences, the parties didn’t anticipate.
