Legal Question in Family Law in Pennsylvania

custody/adoption

My daughter is pregnant and the man who got her pregnant left her 6 months ago. Another man has entered her life and wants to marry her and raise the child as his own. Can he put his name down on the birth cirtificate as the father or should they leave that blank and file for adoption? Do they need to get a legal document from the biological father stating that he reliquishes his rights to the child? The biological father has disappeared and has made no attempt to speak to my daughter. He made it clear that he wanted her to have an abortion. Is there any legal advice that you could give us in regards to this circumstance and what legal rights does the real father have to come in after several years and try to get custody? What legal rights does my daughter have to stop this from occuring?


Asked on 1/05/06, 6:46 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Paul Stacom Law Offices of Paul J. Stacom

Re: custody/adoption

It would be legally prudent for her to have the child, then AFTER she marries this new person, they can file for adoption. I would try to locate the father or follow the procedures when you cannot locate him. Easier and faster if get get him ot sign consent to adoption. May cooperate in doing if file for support gainst him. I would not recomend that he put his name down on the birth certificate and he cannot adopt the child until after the marriage. Father would have rights to see the child, if his, just as the mother as rights to child support from him. If he is absent from the child, and knows it is his, for more than 6 months, that would be a basis to terminate his rights.

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Answered on 1/05/06, 8:27 pm


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