Actor Jason Patric donates $100K to family law center

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Actor Jason Patric, denied custody of his 4-year-old son, is now trying to help other parents who are facing similar battles. Patric is in an unusual legal situation because he is considered a sperm donor.

Patric lost his battle for joint custody in the family law court in L.A. Superior Court, but he says he's not done fighting, and plans to continue, and hopes to help other parents along the way.

Patric rallied moms and dads Friday who are barred from seeing their children because of court orders or conflicts with the child's custodial parent.

Patric's current project is his non-profit organization Stand Up For Gus, a crusade in the name of his 4-year-old son, who he says he has not seen in 62 weeks.

Gus's mother, Danielle Schreiber, won full custody with proof that Patric was solely a sperm donor, that they had no agreement for him to be involved in raising Gus.

"Danielle Schreiber refuses to speak to me and has not spoken to me in almost two years," said Patric.

He's lobbied for a new statute that would provide rights for sperm donors. There is opposition in the gay and lesbian community, concerned that sperm donors could interfere in how the child is raised.

According to Schreiber's attorney, Fred Heather: "This is about whether a mother in this society can be a single mother and be free from harassment from a sperm donor."

About Patric's desire to be a dad, Heather says: "That's one big lie. During the pregnancy he was dating a woman in New York and did not tell her he was fathering a child."

"Our romantic relationship, whatever it was, never changed the fact we are both parents of this child. It is documented in just every aspect of his life," said Patric.

Patric is appealing the court ruling. Friday, his organization donated $100,000 to the Levitt Quinn Family Law Center to help low-income parents who have no lawyer.

"More than half of the children in California will be involved in a family law case in their lifetime, and over 80 percent of those families go to court without representation," said Tai Glenn, executive director, Levitt Quinn Family Law Center.

"The one thing I can tell you is that you are no longer alone," said Patric.

Patric has another court date scheduled before an appeals panel with the state appellate court on May 8.