child support and parental termination of rights

[mamma]

my daughters father has not been involved in her life since 3 months . she is now 10 months. He knows where we are and does not return our calls..i have only called to let him know of our move. I dont want him in our lives and want to file for termination of parental rights in Colorado where failure to maintain contact is grounds for termination. I just opened up a child support case because a lawyer told me it would be best to do to start buildind our case...because chances are he will not pay and they are not able to locate him at this point. I am wondering if this was the best thing to do? would it have been better to not file for child support. I dont need his money, my daughter and i are fine.I was never married.

Please help!!!!

 

[Duranie]

Unless you are married and there is a step dad to adopt, most courts will not allow you to terminate parental rights of the father.

Once child support uis established, dad will have the rights to set up a visitation schedule.

I am surprised an attorney is proceeding with this. Generally the courts will not terminate rights when the mother is single, and if you have never filed for child support until now, you were not entitled to any. Dad only has to pay if there is a court order.

Was paternity ever established?

 

[jodym2007]

I am going thru the same you have to be married for a man to pick up the child because no judge will allow a child to be fatherless a few pointers to help you , you need 2 years to file for abandonment.... send him a letter stating you have moved and you want him in your childs life and wish for him to help financially , now catch here is make sure you send it certified, so he has to sign for it make sure you keep that green card he signs and a copy of the letter. if no reply in 6 months go ahead and file. My best friend did that and it left her son open to be adopted if she ever gets married but because your child is so young you may not have to wait the whole 2 years if you try this. You will need proof of how long he has been gone also go to the local dept of human resources and tell them hes not paying they will take it out of his check. It gets better and easier I promise

 

[WhirledPeas]

Sad as it seems, not seeing an infant for seven months isn't all that long for some parents, and you don't really have a say in whether he has a place in your daughter's life if he decides he wants to see her, since he is her father. He'd have to establish paternity and get an order of parenting time to see her against your wishes at this point, but that isn't all that hard to do. Plenty of parents grow up and resume contact with their children.

Also, he doesn't have to be current in support to exercise his parenting time, once established. The two issues are separate from each other.