Legal Question in Family Law in Tennessee

Re: My husband adopting my son

Under TN law you can file a petition to terminate parental rights (and also to adopt) if the parent has failed to have anything more than token contact with the child or paid anything more than token support in the four months immediately prior to filing the petition. After the termination of parental rights and the adoption, the parent whose rights are terminated is still required to pay any child support due up until the time of the adoption, but not for the period after the adoption.

The real question in your case would appear to be whether the father has had anything more than "token contact," and also WHY his contact has been limited. If it was the result of your action, then it would not be a basis to terminate. If it is a result of HIS action, then you would. If he was calling regularly and he and the child maintained a strong relationship even without seeing the child, then it would also appear to be more than "token contact."

Also remember that the father could voluntarily allow the adoption, and might be happy to do so to avoid having his child support obligation continue to run.