My sister knows someone who wants to adopt my unborn baby. This family is paying a lawyer to draw up paperwork. My question is, the father is nowhere around. He knows im pregnant but has dropped off the face of the planet. I cant get hold of him. I dont have his number or address anymore. Does he have to be in front of the judge for me to get the adoption papers signed? My friend says he has to sign over his his rights as a father but how can i get him to do that if i cant find him.
the lawyer will try to find him and if they can't they may post something in the legal section of his hometown paper. (maybe, i'm not sure) if they still can't find him, then there are other avenues to ensure his rights are revoked.
To my knowledge the advice is accurate and you can ask the lawyer drawing up the papers if you're still unsure. It sounds like an opportunity for you to bless another couple's life and to provide the very best for your baby, and I applaud your choice. Best wishes with everything.
You need to double check with a lawyer, but I am almost positive that the Judge can terminate parental rights without the father's presence. Probably at the same time that you terminate yours.
You may want to speak to the attorney that is drawing up papers for the adoption...he may know a way around it. At some point, if the father is no where to be found, it can be considered abandonment - but I am not sure how that works with an unborn child. Your best bet is to talk to someone with some experience - maybe a support group or a church would know where to start.
~K
Been there, done that... :-) We were told to make every effort to find him. We had to list info in the newspaper, contact any relative we knew, mail info to the last known address. We also had to have the lawyer look for him, private detective, after all that was done, we could proceed with the hearing. But if he came back he could try to fight it, but it could possibly be to late. And since we made an HONEST effort to find him, the law would be on our side.
Well, we found him, or should I say I found him. After an internet search I found him, title to his house that he signed is public info :-) So we had him served, he chose to relinquish all his rights by signing a document.
I hope this helps. Good luck, good job on making the right decision for you, God Bless :-)
hi...
we adopted a boy at 6 months old. our case went through the court with the judge severing parental rights without the father signing anything.
Good Luck.
you are elcome to askme any questions.
