HIV-positive father wins visitation battle in Maryland. Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 6003, Rockville, MD 20849-6003. 800-458-5231 ext. 5023. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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HIV-positive father wins visitation battle in Maryland. Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 6003, Rockville, MD 20849-6003. 800-458-5231 ext. 5023.

AIDS Policy Law. 1995 Mar 24;10(5):9. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE AIDS/95700240

Abstract: David K. North, after a four-year court battle, has been awarded visitation rights with his three daughters. North separated from his wife Kathryn in June 1991 after telling her he was diagnosed with HIV. The custody dispute originally centered around not only North's HIV status, but also his homosexuality (he had left his wife for the family friend and godfather to one of the couple's daughter's). Custody judge Audrey E. Melbourne allowed North to see his daughters at his home, excluding overnight, weekday or holiday visits. North's appeal focused on the medical aspects of HIV transmission in the household. Since Mrs. Norths' expert witness conceded that he knew of no recorded instances of a person transmitting HIV to another person through bathing, cooking or breathing, the judge agreed the risk of transmission was so small as to pose no threat to the children's safety. North was awarded visitation on alternating weekends, plus alternating Federal holidays.
Keywords: Child Custody/*LEGISLATION & JURISPRUD Expert Testimony Fathers Fear Homosexuality, Male Human HIV Infections/PSYCHOLOGY/TRANSMISSION *HIV Seropositivity Male Maryland NEWSLETTER ARTICLEKWDchildcustody/KWDlegislation&jurisprudexperttestimonyfathersfearhomosexuality,malehumanhivinfections/psychology/transmissionKWDhivseropositivitymalemarylandnewsletterarticle
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