The United States Supreme Court yesterday refused to rule on a Massachusetts state law barring adoptions involving children and foster parents of different religions.
The court refused to consider a ruling of the Massachusetts Supreme Court turning down a plea from a Jewish couple, Rouben and Sylvia Goldman, who wanted to adopt a set of twins born to a Catholic mother. The mother had consented to the adoption and had agreed that the children should be raised in the Jewish faith. The Massachusetts courts held that the mother’s consent was irrelevant and the state supreme court ruled that the Massachusetts law barring such adoptions did not violate the Federal Constitution.
The Goldman couple was joined in its legal fight by the American Jewish Congress. The argument presented by Leo Pfeffer, attorney for the Goldmans, was that the Massachusetts law violated the First Amendment to the Federal Constitution, which protects the free exercise of religion.
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