Single Mother...

[naomiorear]

My daughter just turned 2 years old. I have raised her on my own since the day she was born. Her father has given me no finacial support, and has seen his daughter a total of 2 1/2 weeks (all the days he's seen her added up) her entire life. And when he does see her, it's with the expectation that we're going to be in a relationship. He NEVER calls to check on her, and when I call, doesn't seem interested in anything I have to say about our daughter. Contact between me and her father is almost always initiated by me, and I nearly have to beg him to see his daughter.

I believe that a relationship with her father is something that my daughter needs. However, I'm sick of playing games with him.

I havn't been a perfect angel in this situation, I'll be the first one to admit that. I have threatened to never let him see her again and the likes. My questions are; he hasn't paid a dime in child support (I have had a child support case against him since she was 2 months old) in two years, and has only seen her once in the last year, can I have his parental rights terminated; or is the fact that he's not on her birth certificate and no paternity was ever established a problem?

You see, I filed a child support case, however I'm kind of in the dark as to where this case is right now. I know that he received the paperwork on it and never sent it back, which, as I know, defaults him as the father. Yet I havn't seen any money come in yet.

My other question is, if he decided that he wanted to fight for custody, can he use my threats against me?

 

[seniorjudge]

He will probably want visitation now that you want money.

Human nature.

 

[naomiorear]

I have told him repeatedly that I would drop the child support case if only he would want to be a father to my child. It's not so much about the money as it is about me telling him that he can't see her...

 

[seniorjudge]

I have told him repeatedly that I would drop the child support case if only he would want to be a father to my child. It's not so much about the money as it is about me telling him that he can't see her...

How sweet.

Somehow, I doubt that he believes you.:no:

 

[Duranie]

Unless you are remarried and your husband adopts the child, you probably cannoot terminate rights.

He does have a right to see the child, but it is unclear if any visitation decree has been set up. If Dad goes to court for visits, there probably is nothing you can do to stop it. You cannot keep him from the child if he goes to court. You can ask that visitation be supervised for the first few months until he gets acquantied with the child.

As far as Child support, I would call CSE to find out why they haven't collected anything from him. If he wants to see the child you might as well make him help support her.

 

[naomiorear]

With him not being on the birth certificate, and not having had a paternity test...I legally do not have to let him see her though right? There is no visitation decree, so do I have the right to keep her from him?