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Judge finds frozen embryos are not divisible property in cancer survivor’s case against ex-husband
A northern Virginia judge ruled that frozen embryos are not divisible property, rejecting a previous interpretation based on outdated slave law.
Honeyhline Heidemann, a cancer survivor, sought access to two embryos frozen during her in vitro fertilization with Jason Heidemann.
Judge Donta L. Bugg stated that Virginia law has shifted away from considering embryos as divisible goods, emphasizing ethical concerns regarding their treatment.
The case highlights ongoing debates about fetal personhood, with several states defining embryos as humans in their laws.
The final approved text provides, through a transitional rule, that embryos resulting from donations prior to May 7, 2018 can be used up to ten years after the entry into force of the law, a period that, in the case of gametes, is eight years.