[popcornone]

I live in New Jersey. I have physical costody of my neices and nephews. They are living with me for the passed three years I am becoming greatly concerned as these kids are getting older and neither parents are physically able to maintain them. The father is willing to give up his rights so that I can adopt them. However the mother refuses to do the same. Can you tell me if I have any grounds for petitioning termination of parental rights?

[popcornone]

It is three years now since I have physical custody of my neices and nephews. Both biological parents are in no position to physically support them. The dad is willing to give up his rights so that the children could be adoped. However the mother refuses to give up her rghts volountarily, even though she cannot physically support any of them. I live in New Jersey and I will like to know whether I have grounds for filing a petition for the mothers rights to be terminated? And if so, how can I go about this procedure?

[stevetcg]

You can try, but you are looking at an uphill battle. Get yourself a good lawyer if you even want to consider it.

Are there grounds to terminate her rights?

[ScottGem]

First its not a good idea to piggyback your question on someone else's. This can lead to confusion. You should start a new thread. So I've moved your question to its own thread. I also merged your other thread with this one.

It depends on whether you can prove the mother unfit or not. Your focus should not be on termninating rights but on adoption. You want to empathize the positive.

How did you come to get custody? Was it court ordered? Did the court give any conditions on return of custody to the bio parents?