How Can I Involuntarily Terminate My Daughters Deadbeat Fathers Rights

[lindadoyle]

My question involves adoption law for the State of: Texas

I need help! My 3 year olds father has shown extreme parental disinterest, is a known drug addict, and is spending more time incarcerated than he is not. I am recently married to a wonderful man who would love to adopt her, but her biological father is already on her birth certificate and she has his last name.
He has not seen her in nearly a year, and only saw her that recently by accident. He has sent me a total of $200.00 since she has been born, and that was from a fraudulent income tax claim of our previously deceased son in 2008.
I have no idea where to begin. What paperwork do i need to file, and will I need an attorney? And if so, can I sue him for those costs?
I would appreciate any and all professional answers from professionals, so that I may take care of this issue before she is old enough to be affected by it.
Thank you very much, Sincerely,
A mother in need.

[Dogmatique]

Please speak with a local attorney.

Terminating a parent's rights is NOT a DIY project.

You will likely not be able to recoup the legal costs from your ex.

[Mr. Knowitall]

If the father will consent to having his rights terminated, it's something you can probably accomplish with a standard form executed by him and submitted to the court overseeing the adoption proceedings.

I don't see a site online that would guide you through the adoption process or provide forms. The Texas statues are online, but it can be a real ordeal for most people who aren't familiar with the legal system to figure out what they need to do from the statutes.