Legal Question in Family Law in Missouri

I live in Missouri and my step sister in law lives in Illinois. She was raped and recently found out she was pregnant. She has requested that my husband and I adopt the child privately. Does the father/rapist have any legal rights to the child.


Asked on 7/05/13, 10:22 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Joe Hensley Hensley & Nicholas

Probably not unless he disputes that it was a rape, in which case it will come down to who the Judge believes, but there is a law that states that if the child is conceived from an act of forcible rape then the biological father's rights can be terminated. It will come down to the evidence. Did she report it? Was he prosecuted and convicted? If so, you probably won't have a problem. If not, you will have to put on evidence about the rape.

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Answered on 7/06/13, 8:22 am


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