Roswell, GA asked in Criminal Law for Georgia

Q: Could I file abandonment charges and get my ex husbands parental rights removed while he’s in jail?

He is ordered child support and had not been paying that for sometime before going to jail for drug and theft charges.

Related Topics:
3 Lawyer Answers

A: Terminating a parent's rights is very difficult. Whether you can be successful in doing it depends on a number of factors - I need more information.

A: You can file for abandonment, but if he is in jail then he cannot pay. Terminating rights involves a court finding that he is an unfit parent, a very high burden to overcome. Obtaining such a finding will be expensive and if successful would terminate his obligation to pay child support.

A: You may want to think hard about the termination of rights. Because if you do that then he will not be responsible for any more child support. In addition, if you want his rights terminated/ceased, there is an option in which he can sign his rights away.

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.