Calamita suspended for 2 years after trying to thwart woman’s attempts to adopt partner’s child

MADRID, Spain — A Spanish court says a judge has been suspended for attempting to thwart a woman’s effort to adopt her lesbian partner’s child.

The Superior Justice Court in the southeast Murcia region says it suspended Judge Fernando Ferrin Calamita for two years. The court also ordered the Catholic judge to pay the woman $8,400 in compensation.

The woman had been trying to adopt the child born to her partner after they were married in 2005.

The court’s ruling on Dec. 23 says Ferrin ignored Spanish laws allowing same-sex couples to adopt and showed contempt for the woman’s sexual orientation while processing her application.

Ferrin says he will appeal his suspension, and that he had only the child’s interests at heart.