German Court Orders Clinic to Release Deceased Husband's Sperm to Widow

The Frankfurt court ruled in favor of the widow, allowing her to pursue artificial insemination in Spain despite objections from the clinic.

A Frankfurt court has ruled that a clinic must release frozen sperm from a deceased man to his widow for artificial insemination purposes.
The clinic had refused, citing a contract with the deceased that stipulated sperm destruction after his death and concerns over Germany's Embryo Protection Act.
The court found the widow's claims of a shared desire for children credible, including the deceased's expressed wish for a child even after his death.
The ruling clarified that the Embryo Protection Act does not prohibit this case and that clinic staff would not face legal repercussions.
The widow plans to undergo the procedure in Spain, where the legal framework permits such inseminations; the decision is not yet legally binding.