Legal Question in Family Law in California

If a parent does not see his child that much (for various reasons), can that parent relieve him or herself from paying the other parent child support payments by simply giving up his or her parental rights (through possibly allowing the other parent's spouse adoption rights)? Can that parent simply somehow give up his or her parental rights at anytime to relieve him or herself from paying child support payments? If so, what are the steps?


Asked on 8/24/10, 11:24 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

The right of support belongs to the child, not the parents. There is no way to evade that obligation by abandoning the child. If a stepparent is willing to adopt the child, the obligation can be transferred to the stepparent, but it cannot ever simply be surrendered.

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Answered on 8/29/10, 4:53 pm


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