I have a 3 year old son who's biological father has not seen since he was born. He occasionally pays $25 a month court ordered support. He initiated court proceedings for visitation and then never showed up for the hearing. I, in turn, filed my own petition and went to court 3 times before he actually got served with the papers that he had to be there. I offered numerous times for supervised visits but he refused them. After our last appearance in court I requested full custody. Our order mow reads visitation as parties can agree on and it's been three months and he still has yet to try and see our son. The proceedings started in July of last year. How long doni have to wait before he will have his Rights taken away? My girl friend wants to adopt him and has been there since I was pregnant for him. What can I do??

First, if you want your partner to adopt.then just go for the adoption. You won't get his rights terminated without it clearing the way for an adoption. They have to be bundled together.

You also need to keep a log of all the offers of visitation that he has refused or missed.

Finally get an attorney to process the adoption. The attorney will get the paperwork right and no how to present it to the court.

I think you need to move the court for summary dissolution of relationship and total child custody. It is unwise, IMHO, to waste your and your kid's time and energy for a boisterous belligerent sinner who is not caring about you.

Thank you for trying to help our members. However we take pride in the accuracy of the advice we give here. The question was about the OP's partner adopting her daughter. The relationship with the father is already over. She's already gotten full custody. So your response neither address the real question or contains accurate advice.

Everyone is welcome to help here, but we ask that you keep in mind the standards of quality and accuracy we maintain here.

Your "girl friend" wants to adopt? Are you now in a same sex relationship?

Your general location will be important for proper advice on this.

Full custody does not mean he will not have rights, he will still have rights, Many women have full custody and the man has visitation, having visitation does not mean the mother does not have full custody.

He will have to sign over his rights for an adoption, and or at a adoption hearing, not a custody hearing, you will have to try and take his rights away.