Legal Question in Family Law in Maryland
Termination of visitation - step parent adoption
Although I already had sole legal & physical custody, after a grueling modification process including psych, gal, etc., visitation was reduced to a supervised visitation center & no telephone contact until further ordered by the court. At the same time cs arrears were addressed and judgments entered against ncp. NCP refused to participate in supervised visitation, which was ultimately terminated by the court.
A year has passed with no appeals, change in visitation, contact or other circumstances. CS is only paid through CSE when they suspend NCP's drivers license, and at that point only one payment is made for reinstatement.
Are there still parental rights other than the responsibility of providing financial support? Child is 9 and is crossing legal name off of school items & desires to have name change and be adopted by step parent. What type of notification process, if any, would be necessary at this point?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Termination of visitation - step parent adoption
It will be very difficult to terminate the father's parental rights, which is what happens when a stepparent wants to adopt, if he actively opposes the effort. You must notify him of an adoption proceeding and give him an opportunity to participate. If he sees this as a way to end his child support obligation and therefore doesn't oppose, it will probably happen.
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