Father and son fight to dissolve adoption so they can marry

Two US men who are legally father and son are fighting to annul the adoption so they can marry each other.

Nino Esposito, 78, from Pennsylvania, adopted his partner Roland Bosee, 68, in 2012 after more than 40 years of being together, CNN reports.

With legal gay marriage seemingly far off, adoption was "the most legitimate thing available to us" to secure inheritance rights, Mr Bosee said.

"We thought we were getting ahead of the game," he said.

When gay marriage was legalised in Pennsylvania in May 2014, they set about annulling the adoption.

"We realised we could have a complete union, which is what we want," Mr Esposito said.

But a state judge said he could not annul the adoption unless it related to fraud.

The couple have since enlisted lawyers to petition the US Justice Department to rule in their favour, with the backing of Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey.

Dena Iverson, a Justice Department spokeswoman, said the department is reviewing the request.

"It’s sort of ironic," said Mr Bosee. "Instead of being a help, (the adoption) has become a roadblock, a hindrance, to what we should be allowed to do now."