Supreme Court declines to intervene in surrogate baby custody battle

The Supreme Court declined Tuesday to intervene in a multistate custody battle between a California couple and the surrogate who gave birth to their son after refusing a request to terminate the pregnancy.

Justice Elena Kagan denied an emergency request from McKenna West, an Alaska nurse who sought to block a California court order recognizing Omar Ahmed and Nausheen Gilkar as the legal parents of the baby. Kagan, who handles the emergency matters arising from California, did not provide an explanation for the decision, as is customary.