parental rights

[jkbmjp]

I have a question regarding parental rights and when is a good time to terminate them? I used to live in Connecticut so I don't want a generic response without the responder knowing the Connecticut laws. Keep in mind, presently there is not any open cases regarding this matter. I am just seeking advice. Anyways, I was married in 2002 and divorced in January, 2006. Out of the marriage came two girls. I was awarded full custoday in May, 2005. The ages of my daughters are 5 and 4. They have not physically seen their birth mother since June, 2006. They have occassionally talked on the phone with her via their grandparents (birth mother's parents). It has been a long time since they have spoken to their birth mother. Their birth mother is an alcoholic and she has floated in/out of rehab many times which she continues to do so. Being my daughters have not seen her, she would be a stranger to them. Back in 2005, my attorney, who handled my custoday case, told me to give it about 6 months to see if their birth mother can straighten out her life before I terminate her parental rights. He continued, if she still continues to go in/out of rehab and she does have any desire to see the girls then terminate her rights. Now, here it has been about 3 years since we had that conversation and she still has her parental rights. The only reason she still has them because I only receive $480.00 in leu of child support. I know if I terminate her rights then I lose the money.

So back to the original question. At this point should I terminate them? On what grounds could I get her on? Abandonment? If I don't terminate her rights then do I leave the door wide open for her legally come back into my daughters lives?

 

[Just Blue]

You don't have the right to terminate her rights...Only a Judge can issue that order.

 

[jkbmjp]

reply

Let me correct you. Yes I do have the "right" to terminate or at least petition the court to file a motion of termination. Yes I do understand that it is the judges decision. Of course, I know I would win the ruling.

 

[Silverplum]

Let me correct you. Yes I do have the "right" to terminate or at least petition the court to file a motion of termination. Yes I do understand that it is the judges decision. Of course, I know I would win the ruling.

You so funny.

Still so wrong.

If you think you are in a position to "correct" one of the senior members on the familylaw boards, you don't need our help.

 

[Gracie3787]

Of course, I know I would win the ruling.

Okay, since you "know" that you will win, go ahead and spend the money for an attorney and see what happens.
Oh, since you apparently have the ability to see into the future, can you tell me what the lottery numbers will be this Friday for the Mega Millions game?

 

[Ohiogal]

Let me correct you. Yes I do have the "right" to terminate or at least petition the court to file a motion of termination. Yes I do understand that it is the judges decision. Of course, I know I would win the ruling.

You can petition but on what basis? It is not abandonment. It is not for a stepparent to adopt as you have mentioned no one that you are married to nor their willingness to adopt. So how do you know you would WIN?

 

[AHA]

Of course, I know I would win the ruling.

So why are you here asking for help and wasting people's valuable time??

 

[jkbmjp]

I have comment for each one of you. Before I put my 1 cent comment, I would like to know what state you guys are from? Secondly, what titles do each responder hold? Are you all legal aids, assistants, attorneys, or lawyers? Lastly, if you are outside of Connecticut, then ever state is a little different than the next.

Silverplum: I am soo sorry to "correct" baystategirl. If I am so wrong, then please tell me how I am still so wrong?

Gracie3787: Oh, don't worry, I will spend the money on an attorney. I will let you know the outcome. I like your joke. If did win the lottery, do you think I would be wasting my time on the computer asking you for advice?

Ohiogal: I never mentioned anything about a stepparent in my paragraph, did I? Yes, I would get her on abandonment. Do you know in the legal sense of the word, what it means? Apparently you don't. It means the failure to communicate with his or her child over a period of time. Please read my paragraph again!

AHA: I am certainly not wasting anyone's valuable time. Maybe mine. It is apparent that you and the other responders have something against me. I just simply posted a new thread seeking for advice. It was baystategirl who set this who thing in motion by telling me that I didn't have the "right" to terminate anyone's rights. I only gave you have the story.

 

[jkbmjp]

I have comment for each one of you. Before I put my 1 cent comment, I would like to know what state you guys are from? Secondly, what titles do each responder hold? Are you all legal aids, assistants, attorneys, or lawyers? Lastly, if you are outside of Connecticut, then ever state is a little different than the next.

Silverplum: I am soo sorry to "correct" baystategirl. If I am so wrong, then please tell me how I am still so wrong?

Gracie3787: Oh, don't worry, I will spend the money on an attorney. I will let you know the outcome. I like your joke. If did win the lottery, do you think I would be wasting my time on the computer asking you for advice?

Ohiogal: I never mentioned anything about a stepparent in my paragraph, did I? Yes, I would get her on abandonment. Do you know in the legal sense of the word, what it means? Apparently you don't. It means the failure to communicate with his or her child over a period of time. Please read my paragraph again!

AHA: I am certainly not wasting anyone's valuable time. Maybe mine. It is apparent that you and the other responders who had commented have something against me. I just simply posted a new thread seeking for advice. It was baystategirl who set this who thing in motion by telling me that I didn't have the "right" to terminate anyone's rights. I only gave you half of the story.

 

[LdiJ]

What you don't understand, is that it honestly doesn't work the way that you think it works. No matter how bad the other parent is, there is little to no chance that a judge will completely terminate their parental rights, because it also terminates their parental responsibilities, and the state wants two parents legally responsible for children...no matter how bad one of them might happen to be.

The exceptions to that are when one of the parents is simply too dangerous/negligent/abusive to every be around a child, or when one of the parents has abandoned the children and there is a stepparent willing and able to adopt and take over the parental responsibilities.

You don't have to believe what any of us are saying. You can get a consult with a local attorney. You will hear the same thing, but you will more likely believe if from that source.

 

[Ohiogal]

Ohiogal: I never mentioned anything about a stepparent in my paragraph, did I? Yes, I would get her on abandonment. Do you know in the legal sense of the word, what it means? Apparently you don't. It means the failure to communicate with his or her child over a period of time. Please read my paragraph again!

Please comprehend and understand. You state that you receive $480 for them. And if you terminate her rights you lose the money. That money IS contact with the children and therefore she has NOT abandoned her children. So apparently YOU do NOT know what abandonment is in the legal sense of the word. I DO.

Where did you get your JD and license to practice?

 

[jkbmjp]

LdiJ: I know how the whole process works. The birth mother has 0, 0, 0, 0 and more 0's claim to ANY responsibilities towards my daughters. She has proven that time, time, time again. She has given ZERO attention to these girls. What you don't understand yourself is the fact that abandonment equals 0 responsibilities. When you abandon someone, so does the responsibilities to that person. That all goes out the door. When someone doesn't contact you via the phone or mail or any other means as well as doesn't show any interest in you for a looooong period of time, doesn't that mean abandonment? No I will not take much of anything you guys say to heart. However, I will let you know what advice my own attorney gives me which I will gladly pass on to you.

Ohiogal: Boy you don't know when to stop with your intelligence. Stop trying to impress me, please! Don't assume things. You ask questions before you assuming something. The money I receive doesn't come from her directly. It come from SSI. Which means that NO she doesn't have contact with them via child support. She doesn't get out her checkbook and write me out a check. You never answered my question. You must be a small time legal assistant or secretary. No, let me guess, you are some sort of a person that lives in Ohio which you feel you have some legal knowledge so that is why you post on this site. Right? Maybe you are a law student.

 

[LdiJ]

LdiJ: I know how the whole process works. The birth mother has 0, 0, 0, 0 and more 0's claim to ANY responsibilities towards my daughters. She has proven that time, time, time again. She has given ZERO attention to these girls. What you don't understand yourself is the fact that abandonment equals 0 responsibilities. When you abandon someone, so does the responsibilities to that person. That all goes out the door. When someone doesn't contact you via the phone or mail or any other means as well as doesn't show any interest in you for a looooong period of time, doesn't that mean abandonment? No I will not take much of anything you guys say to heart. However, I will let you know what advice my own attorney gives me which I will gladly pass on to you.

Ohiogal: Boy you don't know when to stop with your intelligence. Stop trying to impress me, please! Don't assume things. You ask questions before you assuming something. The money I receive doesn't come from her directly. It come from SSI. Which means that NO she doesn't have contact with them via child support. She doesn't get out her checkbook and write me out a check. You never answered my question. You must be a small time legal assistant or secretary. No, let me guess, you are some sort of a person that lives in Ohio which you feel you have some legal knowledge so that is why you post on this site. Right? Maybe you are a law student.

She is a family law ATTORNEY, and you are an insufferable egoist. Please feel free to get your answers elsewhere.

 

[AHA]

AHA: I am certainly not wasting anyone's valuable time. Maybe mine. It is apparent that you and the other responders who had commented have something against me. I just simply posted a new thread seeking for advice. It was baystategirl who set this who thing in motion by telling me that I didn't have the "right" to terminate anyone's rights. I only gave you half of the story.

Are you a goldfish with a 10 sec memory??? You have already claimed that you will win regardless of what you are being told here, so hell yes, you are wasting everyone's time. If you are so closeminded that you can't open your mind to how the legal process works after having it explained to you, then you have bigger problems than a possible court case.

 

[jkbmjp]

AHA: This "goldfish with a 10 second memory", that is not bad punch, is done. I am done posting any comments to anyone that has responded to me. I, yes I, am finished with wasting time. Good night & good luck.