Legal Question in Family Law in Maryland

I have a 10 year old daughter that my ex-wife has sole custody. I do have visitation. My ex-wife has moved multiple times (different states) without telling me therefore I actually have not seen my daughter in 8 years. I pay child support and have tried using CPS to "locate" my wife and they just tell me I have to file a motion in court that they cannot release her location to me. Anytime I have caught up to my ex-wife and tried to pursue action, she comes at me with lawyers and unreasonable demands. She has recently contacted me out of the blue and told me she is getting remarried and wants me to relinguish my parental rights so her new hubby can adopt my daughter. I plan on fighting this but I know she will use the abandonment argument even though there are, what I feel, extenuating circumstances surrounding that.

I am not sure how to proceed. I live in Maryland, our divorce/custody occured in Pennsylvania and I just found out she now lives in Washington state. I know she plans on fighting me on this and trying to get the courts to terminate my rights without my consent. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of money to fight but want to do whatever I can but just not sure where to start. She has not filed any paperwork as of yet (at least that is what she says and I have not been notified). Where do I start and in what state?


Asked on 2/21/13, 2:41 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Robert Sher Wagshal and Sher

In order to get a court-ordered adoption, which would involve a termination of your parental rights, she would have to serve you with the court papers from WA. You would then have a right to challenge that, but of course that would mean finding an attorney in that area. You can do this through the internet of course, but also by contacting the bar association of the county in which she has filed the papers. They should be able to provide you with the names of lawyers who handle family law and especially adoption matters. If you income qualify you may be entitled to an attorney at a reduced fee. At the same time you could file a motion for court-ordered visitation if you want to try and resurrect your relationship with your daughter.

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Answered on 2/22/13, 8:20 am


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