Q: My son is 13 and his father has not been in his life for some time now. I have been asked him to terminate his parental
Rights but he stated no. He has not seen his son nor does he have a relationship with him. He did sign the birth certificate and there is a child support order but he does not comply with the orders and child support has been searching for him for quite some time now. My fiancé will be adopting my son. What steps do I need to take to make this happen? Regardless if he voluntarily or non voluntarily terminate his rights me and my fiancé will go thru this process, we just want to know what needs to be done.
A: You will need to petition the court for a step parent adoption and the termination of the biological father's rights can occur within that action. When the terminations are not voluntary, the matters can become complicated. I strongly suggest you speak with an experienced family law attorney to discuss your options.
Regina Irene Edwards and Homer P Jordan IV agree with this answer
A: I agree with my colleague, you will need to petition for a stepparent adoption, but it can become tricky with the father unwilling to give up the rights. You should consult with an attorney who can help you plan the proper course of action. -Homer P. Jordan IV, Esq. 404-620-1558 HomerJordan.com
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