giving up parental rights

[jolida72]

YOUR STATE NAME - New York Can a father terminate his parental rights? My friend is paying child support for his daughter but never sees her and he wants to relinquish all rights. Is it possible to do this? And if so how would he do it?

 

[Grace_Adler]

Terminating parental rights is very hard to do and it would not get him out of paying child support. He would have to go to a lawyer and prove to a court why this would be in the best interest of the child. Not seeing his child would not be a good enough reason in the courts eyes..they are just going to tell you to go get visitation. He still has an obligation and responsibility to help pay for this child he helped create. I can understand his fustration over this. Also child support and visitation are 2 seperate issues. If he wants to see his child he needs to go file for visitation through the court. If the mother then refuses to let him see the child she can be held in contempt of court. Hope this helps. (The only way he would not have to pay child support is if he let someone adopt the child..say if she were married and her husband wanted to adopt. That would also relinquinsh him of his parental rights. Remeber once they are gone there's no turning back)