Trying to get father to sign over his rights so my husband can adopt my daughter

[AmandaGriser]

I have full legal and physical custody of our daughter, he was ordered to pay child support and have supervised visitation. He has NOT participated in the visitations and is almost 17,000 dollars behind in child support. We both lived in Va but he bailed out over a year ago to Wisconsin to live with his parents. He is almost 31 years old. Any how. My husband is in the Navy and just got orders for another state. How and what do I file at the court to try and get him to sign over his rights. We were married and our divorce court was in January and he did not show up so the judge signed off on the divorce. Can a judge sign off on his rights? At the moment he has no rights but supervised visitation but I have heard that he still has to sign over his right in order for my husband to adopt our daughter. Help please!

 

[army judge]

You should speak with an attorney.
Children aren't property and he can't rid himself of his parental responsibilities that easily.

You are not generally allowed to just sign away parental rights like signing away the title to a car.
That said, if it is at all possible, it is a lengthy and somewhat expensive process. It has been done. It takes time, patience, persistence, money, and luck.

 

[Proserpina]

Generally the courts prefer you to have been married for a year before you can go ahead with a stepparent adoption.

If Dad doesn't have any contact - ie, no visitation, no phone calls, no child support - there's a fair chance his rights can be terminated involuntarily.

Regardless though he will need to be served and he will may be given the chance to be a father again - in which case the adoption won't happen.

Before the adoption happens though you're going to need permission from the court to relocate the child. With Dad moving to WI first though I don't see you have any problem in getting permission.

You absolutely will need an attorney to help you with this.