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Where can I find info about voluntary termination of parental rights in PA?

I can't find anything on the state's website, unless I'm overlooking it. My cousin is thinking about terminating his rights because of the child's mother's actions. She makes it very difficult for him to see the child, she teaches the child to call other men "daddy", according to the child, the mother will talk to her friends, current boyfriends about how much of a deadbeat my cousin is in front of the child. And when she is in a relationship with a man that seems to provide for both her and the child, she wants the child to have nothing to do with my cousin. But when her relationships dont work out and she finds herself needing help with the child, then she threatens to take my cousin to court for support. They do not have a court agreement for child support, he just gives her money when she asks for it. And on rare occasions when he gets to keep the child on weekends, he'll take her shopping for clothes, shoes, etc. Every time he tries to talk to her about it, she won't answer the phone or return phone calls. She will only communicate with him via text messages! Her immature actions are now starting to rub off on the child.

Where can I find info that will tell us if he has grounds to terminate his rights? He's been dealing with this for about 8 years now.

6 Answers

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  • pdooma
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    He can't.

    He can however, petition for custody which he should do. When he does have the court ordered custody, if she won't allow him to see his child, he needs to show up on her doorstep with the cops to enforce a court order.

    Also, he needs to have a set schedule for child support so it's on record that he's paying. If he can get custody, then she'll be paying him.

  • 1 decade ago

    If the child recognizes this man as her father then he has zero chance of terminating his rights. Even if he did somehow manage to terminate his rights he would still be responsible for child support.

    Having said that, does your cousin realize that any and all money he has given to the mother can be deemed as a "gift" by the court? Unless he has check copies that it says it was specifically for child support none of the money he has given will count, and depending on the state it is possible the mother can go to court and get child support for every day the child has been alive, as long as they are not 18 yet. This is a tactic frequently used by mothers to bankrupt the men that they hate, and it is perfectly legal.

    Your friends best course of action is to petition the court for his paternal rights. This will require the assignment of child support but it also will court order the mom to follow some rules. he will get to see his child for visitation, whether she likes it or not, she will have ZERO say in the matter, and if she witholds the child she will either be arrested for custodial interferance, or your cousin can take her back to court for contempt.

    We had a very similar case here in GA, and my husband could prove that his ex girlfriend was yanking the childs emotions around, and moving him all the time, and bringing random men in and out of his life, and basically not creating a nurtuting environment for the child, and holding visitation and the threat of child support over his head for years did not make her look good. It took 18 months but my husband got custody of his child.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    He needs to keep highly detailed records of this activity.

    She is doing what is called " parent alienation " which is HIGHLY frowned upon by the courts. Ne needs to keep records for about 3 months, contact his attorney and take her back to court.

    SHE CANNOT be allowed to keep this up and needs to have her immature A$$ handed to her by the court. If she keeps hopping from boyfriend to boyfriend keep track of that too. It provides no stability for the child whatsoever.

    IF he's lucky and works hard at it he may be able to actually get custody.

    She's abusing the relationship between the child and the father. Completely wrong..and the court won't like it much either.

  • Jan
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    He cannot voluntarily terminate his rights in Pa. A judge will not let a child be father less and without support. The only way that he could do this is if she got remarried and her husband wanted to adopt the child.

    He can terminate his legal rights,but that does not absolve him of paying child support.

  • 1 decade ago

    Contact the courts..consult with a lawyer

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    pa.gov/childsupport. if he terminates his rights.short of the court order he will still have to pay child support.

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