Saint Louis, MO asked in Family Law, Adoption, Child Custody and Child Support for Missouri

Q: Can a parents rights be terminated for abandonment if his checks are garnished for child support?

My daughter is almost 4 and her biological father hasn't been around since she was about 14 months old. I filed for child support after he told me he wasn't going to help out if he couldn't have me, but has not seen her at all. My husband has been around since she was a few months old and that's all she knows. Could I get her biological father for abandonment and terminate his rights if I drop the child support?

1 Lawyer Answer
Steve D. Hardin
Steve D. Hardin
Answered
  • Divorce Lawyer
  • St. louis, MO
  • Licensed in Missouri

A: No is the short answer. The long answer is that your husband can seek to do a step parent adoption of your daughter that would make him the legal father and terminate the parental rights of the biological father. Realistically you will need an attorney to help with this process.

1 user found this answer helpful

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