Q: Will I regain custody after rights termination or pay child support?

A: Completing the course alone is not enough to answer your question. The court will consider various factors when it comes to custody, like your living situation, ability to care for the child, drug/alcohol use history, etc. And you will likely be required to pay support either way.

A: If your parental rights were already terminated by a court, then legally you are no longer considered the child’s parent—meaning you don’t have custody, visitation rights, or support obligations. However, in some states and rare situations, it’s possible to petition the court to reinstate parental rights, especially if termination was temporary or conditional, and you’ve made significant progress like completing court-ordered counseling. If the court left a path open for reunification, you’ll need to prove that your current circumstances are safe, stable, and in the child’s best interest.

If your ex is pursuing full custody, that usually happens when rights haven’t yet been fully and permanently terminated. In that case, you might still have a legal status as a parent, and depending on the court’s findings, you could be granted supervised visits or a gradual custody plan. Courts tend to move slowly and cautiously in these cases, especially when there are past abuse or neglect findings. But steady progress and documented compliance with court orders can make a difference.

If you are still legally a parent, even without custody, you may be ordered to pay child support. The law sees support as a separate responsibility from parenting time. However, if your rights are fully terminated and the child is adopted by someone else, the support obligation typically ends. The best thing you can do is keep showing up, stay consistent with treatment and counseling, and let the court see the changes you’re making. That effort matters.