Can My Ex's Rights Be Terminated

No, you're getting screwed because of the choice to make a child with a man who didn't even make a commitment to having and supporting a family, such as the legal contract of marriage. It's simply an unfortunate reality that LOTS of children have one or more no-good, dead-beat, parents - who were CHOSEN to be a parent. That's not a failure on the part of the courts, or "the system". Once that person has been deemed good enough to sleep with and make a baby with, they get constitutionally protected rights regarding that child that require SUBSTANTIAL circumstances for a court to terminate. As PQN noted, having a child with such a parent when you yourself can't support the child on your own pretty much seals that the government WILL keep him around as a parent, even without visitation, if for no other reason than the potential to pay back the taxpayers for the cost of a child that the taxpayers are supporting. The big financial downside is that even the government can't get blood out of a turnip, and if dad either isn't working, or his willing to spend his life on the run from child support, even Uncle Sam can't FORCE him to pay - either to you, or to pay back the taxpayers.

If at some point in the future you should meet Mr. Wonderful, and get married, then your new husband could attempt to adopt the child (and the father may be willing to support that process if he has no interest in the child and wants to end life on the run from the child support enforcement office).

You make it sound like I chose for my ex but we were engaged and he was the one who wanted to start a family right away. Unfortunately I didn't find out till I was already pregnant that he was doing drugs, into child porn, and messing around with underage girls online. After six years the law finally caught up with him. I'm not so concerned about him paying or not I could care less and yes I know because I at one point was on government assistance and still have to have my son on medicaid, because my employer does not offer healthcare benefits, that I had to cooperate. My concern is him just showing up in my sons life and creating some serious problems for my kiddo. And I have met "Mr. Wonderful" and will be getting married in the next year and he wants to adopt my son but I can't see my ex just giving up his rights willingly even though he hasn't bothered to show the least bit interest so far but that doesn't mean he won't fight it just to spite me because that is just how he is.