I have two boys and the dad and I separated. He has not had any contact with them for at least a year. Before that visits were sporadic at best. They don't really even know who he is. I do have court ordered support and I was going to file for full custody, but was wondering about the possibility of terminating his rights. Is that possible? What would you suggest?

Not likely! What advantage do you think terminating his rights will get you?

He has no interest in being involved in their lives.

First, please don't use the comments for follow-up. Use the Answer options instead.

You didn't answer my question. If he has no interest then what advantage do you think YOU or your children would get by terminating his rights.

First no it is not likely at all that any court will take his rights away, he has done nothing to lose them. In most areas merely not seeing the kids, and even not paying support are not reasons to take away custody.

You may get his visit schedule changed, to take away most of his visits ( or at least request it)

But he is not coming around, so he is not using any rights he has anyway

1. Go to court and get full legal and physical custody.
2. At that time, get child support ordered.
3. He's not USING his parental rights, so what good would taking them away do?

It's extremely difficult to take away parental rights for a REASON. How would you like it if, based on their word alone, someone could go to court and take away YOUR parental rights? Remember, much of the law in the US is based on precedence. If someone could take away parental rights that easily, don't you think they'd have taken them away from known abusive parents, so that their kids weren't in the system and passed from foster home to foster home? Don't you think that if you could take away parental rights easily that the millions of parents waiting to adopt in this country wouldn't use that to their advantage?

You don't want his parental rights taken away. You just want full physical and legal custody--and you need to go to court for that.

I think I got the info I wanted. Thanks to all who answered.

I understand you idea 100%.I am basically in the same situation as you.The only thong was that since $ is not involoved( amongst other things),there is no reason for him to stick around.He didn't even call to wish my son a Happy birthday and this was after I put minutes on his ph just to give him the bnft of the doubt to call. With my little one,the same.Though he was there for his older sons birthday ,which was a week before my little ones. So on that note all that I had to go through to try and at least give him time to know "our" children;along w the way he has been,I am definitely am taking him to court on grounds of no parent-child relationship. GOOD LUCK!

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Originally Posted by Venny

,I am definitely am taking him to court on grounds of no parent-child relationship. GOOD LUCK!!

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Where do you get the idea that those are valid grounds? Or that you will get a TPR?

Well Scott,regardless of what I typed,I didn't give my whole life story.That's no one's business.I never put that those were my reasons for wanting to take him to court now did I?? As for my full personal reasons for wanting it,I have to see if

First, as you can see the amount of space in the Comments is limited. Please use the Answer options (not comments) to provide follow-up.

Second, this is one of the law forums. Answers here are held to a higher standard of accuracy according to law. As has been often stated and documented in this forum, getting a
TRP is extremely difficult. Generally they are granted for two reasons, one to clear the way for adoption, the other when the parent represents a danger to the child. So when you said; "I am definitely am taking him to court on grounds of no parent-child relationship", especially in the context of this thread, you implied that was a valid grounds for getting a TPR. Hence my questioning the response you gave.

Now one asked for your "whole life story" or your reasons for wanting a TPR (though they seem clear from your response). But rather the accuracy of using the stated grounds for getting one.

Why are you so interested in what we as mothers think? Are you a deadbeat?? If not then what?!

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Originally Posted by Venny

Why are you so interested in what we as mothers think? Are you a deadbeat??? If not then what ?!?

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Excuse me? Where do you get the idea that I am interested in what you as mother's think. And why would you even think to accuse me of being a deadbeat, which I am most decidedly not.

See my previous response about the accuracy of advice posted here.

If you were referring to my questioning the OP as to what she hoped to accomplish, that was so I could understand what she was looking for so I could give the best advice on possibly achieving what she wanted to accomplish.