View Full Version : Parental rights
rickid
Aug 14, 2007, 03:04 PM
I want to have my son's father relinquish his parental rights. I'm fairly positive he would do this. When my son was born we had the conversation, and he decided it was best not to be in my son's life. No father is listed on the birth certificate. I live in Washington state. Is there a form to fill out?
kcooper931
Aug 14, 2007, 08:37 PM
I want to have my son's father relinquish his parental rights. I'm fairly positive he would do this. When my son was born we had the conversation, and he decided it was best not to be in my son's life. No father is listed on the birth certificate. I live in Washington state. Is there a form to fill out?
My sons father lives in Washington and is in the military he is not on the birth certificate and he needs to have documented that he is my sons father can he have a authorized letter says that he is he father and have it notarized is that legal
tawnynkids
Aug 14, 2007, 11:00 PM
KCooper, you should post your question as a separate thread to get better responses. But here is what I found:
The Paternity Affidavit is a simple, quick, and inexpensive way to legally establish paternity. It should be used only when both the man and the mother are sure that the man is the only possible father of the child.
The Paternity Affidavit is a legal form. The man who signs the form will be considered the legal father after the form is signed, notarized, and filed at the Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics (DOH).
Where can I sign a Paternity Affidavit?
Most parents sign the affidavit form at a birthing hospital, a birthing clinic, or at home under the care of a midwife shortly after the child is born. A hospital, midwife, or birthing clinic staff person will help you complete the form if necessary, answer questions, and submit the paperwork to DOH. Most hospitals, midwives, and birthing clinics can also notarize the form for you. If you sign within five days of your child's birth, you will not need to pay a fee to file the affidavit form. If you do not sign at the hospital, you may obtain the Paternity Affidavit form at your local county health department or any Division of Child Support (DCS) office. You may also call DCS at 1-800-442-KIDS (5437). Ask the receptionist to send you an affidavit form. DCS will mail you the form and an informational booklet without charge. Both parents will need to sign and have their signatures notarized. You may send the form directly to DOH along with the filing fee. If you need help completing the form, any DCS office can assist you.
tawnynkids
Aug 14, 2007, 11:07 PM
Rickid, you aren't likely to get a voluntary relinquishment of paternity. As it stands now since he is not on the birth certificate, and if you weren't married at the time of birth, if there is no Affidavit of Paternity, or DNA then he is not considered the legal father or presumed father. Therefor, he has no rights. You have sole custody. So you really need to do nothing. However, if you wanted to legally have exclusive custody the proper procedure is to file to establish his paternity then file for exclusive custody and simply have him not contest it. It will be ordered and he can give you all the rights to your child legally.
macksmom
Aug 15, 2007, 07:14 AM
Has he been involved in the child's life at all? Visitation, child support anything? What is the reason you want him to sign over his rights?
As tawnynkids said... if he is not on the birth certificate and there is no custody or support order, he really has no rights, so you could just leave it alone. But if you are wanting him to sign over his rights in order to have the child adopted by a husband, then you would need to do as tawnynkids said... establish paternity, then have him sign over his rights and the child can be legally adopted. In Ohio, and many other states, I know you cannot have the rights of the father terminated or voluntarily signed over unless there is someone willing to adopt the child in his place.