How Do You Terminate A Fathers Parental Rights?
Although courts do not like terminating a father’s parental rights, they’ll do so when the circumstances make it necessary. Rights can be terminated in cases of abuse and neglect, or when the father has chosen not to see his children or has refused to pay child support for an extended period. Laws vary by state, so review your state’s statutes to determine what is available to you and what avenues to take to terminate a father’s parental rights. Step 1 Review the laws for your state and determine what grounds you may be able to cite to terminate the father’s rights. These may include abandonment, if he has failed to see the child or pay child support for at least six months; unfit parenting or harm to the child; or criminal convictions. Step 2 Ask the father whether he will voluntarily relinquish his rights. Especially in cases of abandonment, the father may be willing to voluntarily give up his rights to free himself of a child support obligation. Step 3 File a petition with the court
Although courts do not like terminating a father’s parental rights, they’ll do so when the circumstances make it necessary. Rights can be terminated in cases of abuse and neglect, or when the father has chosen not to see his children or has refused to pay child support for an extended period. Laws vary by state, so review your state’s statutes to determine what is available to you and what avenues to take to terminate a father’s parental rights. Review the laws for your state and determine what grounds you may be able to cite to terminate the father’s rights. These may include abandonment, if he has failed to see the child or pay child support for at least six months; unfit parenting or harm to the child; or criminal convictions. Ask the father whether he will voluntarily relinquish his rights. Especially in cases of abandonment, the father may be willing to voluntarily give up his rights to free himself of a child support obligation. File a petition with the court seeking termination
