Legal Question in Family Law in Texas
missing deadbeat father
My sons father has not called in over a year. He has never paid any child support. I've repeatedly called his last known phone number to contact him, but am told that he moved to another state. I recently got ahold of a girlfriend of his. She let me know that he has switched states again, and does not want me to know where. My husband and I have talked about him adopting my son. What steps do i need to take to be able to do this? Will I be able to do it without contact with my ex?
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: missing deadbeat father
YOu can terminate the natural father's parental rights without his presence, but you will have to try to serve him with the papers. If he cannot be found, you would have to serve him by placing a copy in the newspaper where he might be able to see it. You should contact a family law attorney in your area to work on this matter for you.
Re: missing deadbeat father
Termination and Step-parent adoption are options. In addition, we could hire an investigator to locate father, file a motion to enforce child support, and have him served. However, if he fails to show up for court, the court will issue a capias/bench warrant for his arrest and as long as he stays out of Texas, he never gets picked up. Bottom line, there are options.
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