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A judge gave "former" lesbian, Lisa Miller, 30 days to appear in court with her 7-year-old daughter or face possible arrest.
Miller is at the center of a long-running custody dispute after she refused to transfer custody of her daughter, Isabelle, to her former partner, Janet Jenkins, after a judge's ruling.
The New York Timesreports Judge William Cohen of Vermont Family Court made the ruling Friday in response to a request by Jenkins to hold Miller in contempt after Miller failed to turn over the child to Jenkins on Jan. 1.
"I'll also find that her actions were willful, intentional and calculated," Judge Cohen said. "I'm going to give (Miller) 30 days to appear in court with the child. I don't believe issuing an arrest warrant without giving Ms. Miller an opportunity to come to the court on her own would be in the child's best interest."? Cohen said giving Miller an opportunity to come forward would also give her an opportunity to consult with her attorneys, who said they haven't heard from their client in months.
But Judge Cohen also said if Miller did not appear by Feb. 23, when a second hearing is scheduled, he would consider tougher penalties. "At that point, I will consider all possible sanctions under the law," he said. "But first, I will give Ms. Miller an opportunity to comply."
Miller and Jenkins were joined in a Vermont civil union in 2000. Isabella was born to Miller through artificial insemination in 2002. The couple broke up in 2003, and Miller moved to Virginia, became an evangelical Christian and soon after, "renounced" her homosexuality.
Jenkins, who held up pictures of her daughter outside the courthouse, said after the hearing she was only interested in her daughter whereabouts. "Every day I wonder where she is and if she's OK," Jenkins said. "I only want what's best for my child."
