Global law firm Dentons successfully represented a couple in an important pro bono litigation related to parents’ right to choose for their family.

The couple was summoned before the Court of Milan by the Public Prosecutor's Office for having named their daughter “Blu” (the Italian for “blue”). They were accused of violating Article 35 of the Italian Presidential Decree no. 396/2000, which states that a child’s name should correspond to their gender, on the grounds that “Blu” was not an unequivocally feminine name.

During the trial, the defense, led by Dentons senior associate Matteo Casucci, pointed out that the aim of the provision in question is to preserve the personal dignity of the child, by avoiding names linked to the opposite sex which could potentially generate ambiguity. The defense proved that in this case, the name "Blu" is a neutral name, without any gender characterization, and therefore does not pose any threat to the child’s identity and dignity.

At the hearing, the Public Prosecutor waived the appeal for rectification of the name, and the Judge consequently dismissed the proceedings.

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