Terminating a Father's Rights

[Lovemylilman08]

My question involves paternity law for the State of: Tennessee

I have a 2 month old son and I am looking in to having the father sign away his parental rights to him. His father was not present during my pregnancy (I informed him but he decided that he did not want to be involved) and has not made any efforts to see him since he was born. He has not financially supported him either. His name is not on the birth certificate because in Tennessee you cannot put the father's name on it unless he is there to sign it. So what I'm wanting to do is have a paternity test done to prove he is my son's father and then have him sign something saying that he gives up his parental rights to him. I do not want this man coming back in to my son's life later on when he decides that he made a mistake years from now. I also am hoping that one day I will meet a good man that will want to adopt my son and be his father and I don't want to have to track his bio father down. Can I have the bio father sign away rights even though there is no step parent to take adopt right this minute?

[panther10758]

No you cannot

[mmmagique]

Sweetie, I know you're upset. I don't blame you. But you have to think about what will be in the best interest of your baby.

Someday (hopefully) his father will want to see him, and someday (absolutely) your child will want to see his father.

Also, it is very difficult to raise children on your own, and the other parent responsible should be held accountable. This will make it easier for you.

Try your best to move on, but try your best to do what is best for your child.

I wish you all well.

[Lovemylilman08]

Sweetie, I know you're upset. I don't blame you. But you have to think about what will be in the best interest of your baby.

Someday (hopefully) his father will want to see him, and someday (absolutely) your child will want to see his father.

Also, it is very difficult to raise children on your own, and the other parent responsible should be held accountable. This will make it easier for you.

Try your best to move on, but try your best to do what is best for your child.

I wish you all well.

I believe the best interest of my son is to not have this man be an influence in his life. Without getting too personal, he is just NOT a good person. He has never asked anything about his son and will not call him by his name. He just calls him "the child." I have a decent job and am able to take care of us on my own. We truly do not need him. He does not deserve to be a part of his life later on- when it comes to your children there should be no need to consider whether or not you want to be involved. If you have to think about it then you are obviously not a good parent.

[distressedmom]

Even if this person is not involved with your child, it is still in your child's best interest to be financially supported by the bio dad. You can get a court order for support and have it enforced. You can also ask the court for sole custody.

[Xena]

I believe the best interest of my son is to not have this man be an influence in his life. Without getting too personal, he is just NOT a good person. He has never asked anything about his son and will not call him by his name. He just calls him "the child." I have a decent job and am able to take care of us on my own. We truly do not need him. He does not deserve to be a part of his life later on- when it comes to your children there should be no need to consider whether or not you want to be involved. If you have to think about it then you are obviously not a good parent.

As long as you never have to collect public assistance, you can just not file to establish paternity, CS, etc. However, at any time the father can file for those things.

Legally, IF you or him do file, you do not have the right to decide if Dad "derserves" to be Dad or not, the court will decide and you both will have to obey all court orders.

[moburkes]

I believe the best interest of my son is to not have this man be an influence in his life. Without getting too personal, he is just NOT a good person. He has never asked anything about his son and will not call him by his name. He just calls him "the child." I have a decent job and am able to take care of us on my own. We truly do not need him. He does not deserve to be a part of his life later on- when it comes to your children there should be no need to consider whether or not you want to be involved. If you have to think about it then you are obviously not a good parent.

There are some decisions that we make that we cannot undo. This is one of them. You chose to have sex (unless you left something out)with this undesirable person, you knew you could get pregnant by this undesirable person, you chose to continue the pregnancy. If/when he requests paternity testing, you don't have a choice but to comply. If/when he requests visitation, and it is granted in whatever form, you don't have a choice but to comply. And, unfortunately, or not, depending upon your viewpoint, none of us "deserve" to be parents. Some people don't grow up, male or female, when the baby comes. We can't control other people. All we can control is how we react to the decisions that we made. A child needs both parents - which is something that you should have considered before you had sex - not when you decide to play musical daddies.

[mmmagique]

I believe the best interest of my son is to not have this man be an influence in his life.

Legally, what you believe is irrelevant.

Without getting too personal, he is just NOT a good person.

Why did you make a baby with someone who is not a good person? (I did, and I am paying the price for it. NOT my children)

We truly do not need him. He does not deserve to be a part of his life later on-.

Legally, this is also not your call to make.

when it comes to your children there should be no need to consider whether or not you want to be involved.

Agreed. Some people are jerks, but unless HE decides he wants no involvement, he has just as much of a right to be involved as you do.

[cyjeff]

Courts want children to have two parents.

One parent cannot decide he/she doesn't want to be a parent anymore unless there is someone else qualified for the position.