Q: My ex-husband wants to terminate his parental rights. What forms/papers do we need to file with the court in Missouri?
My ex-husband has seen our children only once in the past nine years and called them less than a dozen times since. It hurts them all the time because he emails me and wants me to tell them he will come see them but never does. He has recently stated that he wants nothing to do with them and has no intention on seeing or talking to them. He wants to terminate his parental rights.
I have been with my husband for over 10 years now and he has been their dad. They are well taken care of, so not having the support from my ex-husband will not create a problem.
We would love to make this happen. I need to know exactly what forms/papers need to be filed with the court.
A: Your ex cannot terminate his rights without someone to take his place. It sounds like your husband meets the qualifications for step-parent adoption. Talk to your spouse and kids to confirm that is something they would want to do; and then talk to a family attorney about filing a step-parent adoption.
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