In re Parentage of M.J.

Alexis Mitchell (Mitchell) was artificially inseminated with donor sperm selected jointly with her longtime partner Raymond Banary (Banary), though Banary never gave the written consent the Illinois Parentage Act (the Act) requires. Banary nonetheless paid for the procedure, attended appointments, injected Mitchell with fertility medication, helped name the resulting twins, and provided financial support after their birth. After Mitchell learned Banary had a different legal name and was already married and ended the relationship, Banary stopped all support. Mitchell petitioned to establish paternity and support under the Act and, alternatively, common-law theories of oral contract and promissory estoppel; the trial court dismissed all three theories, and the appellate court affirmed.