Assisted Regulation: Argentine Courts Address Regulatory Gaps on Surrogacy

Surrogacy operates in a regulatory void in Argentina. Despite attempts to legislate this practice, Argentine law contains no univocal rules governing the legality and enforceability of surrogacy agreements. Unsurprisingly, this has not stopped intended parents from pursuing surrogacy; quite the contrary, it has steered them into the courts, thrusting the issue into the realm of judicial policy. Through a comprehensive review and qualitative study of 32 court rulings, I address the judicial scenario regarding surrogacy in Argentina. I describe the profile of litigants who are bringing altruistic gestational surrogacy claims, the legal arguments used by courts, and the types of orders issued. I explain how the judiciary, through judicial review of the current legal framework and the application of international human rights law, including the principle of the best interests of the child, is playing a key role in ensuring access to this form of third-party assisted reproductive technology. Finally, I make the case for regulation by critically assessing these rulings to highlight the intricacies, challenges, and complexities that come with the judicial regulation of surrogacy.