Legal Question in Family Law in Utah
Do I need to hire a lawyer to give up my parental rights?
I have nothing to do with a child that I just have found out is biologicaly mine. The child is 13 years old now and has been living in South Carolina for the past 5 years. I have never have nor do I want to know this child, I am paying childsupport for the child through ORS. I want to give up all parental rights and quit the payments. Do I need to hire a lawyer or can I just plead my case to the judge?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Do I need to hire a lawyer to give up my parental rights?
When you became a father you became legally (and morally) responisble for the life you helped create. The law cannot effectively force you to be morally responsible, but can force you to be legally responisble, meaning that you have to pay child support and the child has other legal rights. You cannot just 'quit' because you do not want to pay child support. Either the mother must voluntarily release you - with court approval, where she must show that she can and wants to support the child without your assistance OR someone else must be willing to adopt the child. Upon adoption your legal rights and responsibilities would be transferred to the new father.
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