Roe v. Wade For Men?

On November 7, 2007,  in the case of Dubay v. Wells, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a Michigan father’s claim that he should have the right to decide whether to pay child support was without merit. 

Matthew Dubay said his ex-girlfriend had assured him she could not get pregnant, then sued him for child support after his child was born. He argued his ex-girlfriend had the right to choose abortion, so he had the right to choose whether to bear financial responsibility for an unwanted child.

He contended Michigan’s paternity law violated his right to equal protection because it didn’t give men reproductive rights.  In denying Dubay’s claim, the court held that Michigan laws also require mothers to provide adequate support for their children and are gender neutral.

Men’s rights groups had dubbed the lawsuit a ”Roe v. Wade for men,” drawing objections from women’s rights groups.