Legal Question in Family Law in Oregon

Re: family question

ANSWER:

YES..... it is perfectly legal in the state of Oregon for a father to "sign over" his rights to a child if he does not want the child or anything to do with thje child.

The problem, however, is that signing over one's legal RIGHTS does not relieve you of your legal RESPONSIBILITIES. The two do not go hand-in-hand.

Actuually, as to your legal "rights," you really do not have to sign anything. You surrender and relinquish your legal rights as a parent by simply not exercising your rights. The government has no concern about compelling a prent to exercise parental rights if the parent chooses not to do so.

In contrast, however, is the issue of legal responsibilities and obligations, including the obligation to support the chil. It is the policy of the law to require parents to support their children. (Otherwise, the burden for doing so may very well end up on the shoulders of the taxpaying public through public welfare programs.)

So while the government has no concern about whether you exercise your legal rights as a parent, the government is very concerned about any failure on your part to fulfill your parental responsbilities (particularly your legal responsibility as a parent to financially support your to child).

LAWRENCE D. GORIN

http://www.divorcesource.com/OR/pages/ldgorin.html

Law Offices of L.D. Gorin

521 S.W. Clay St., Suite 205

Portland, Oregon 97201

Telephone: 503.224.8884

Fax: 503.226.1321

E-mail: [email protected]