[freedom5_10]

My son, who is now two & 1/2 years old, and I left Florida when he was 11 months old. I had the opportunity to get out of the abusive relationship with his father, while also and more importantly protecting my child's future as well. My son and I have lived in TN since leaving FL and his father. I had a restraining order put on the father because of the physicall threats he made towards myself and my family after leaving Florida, and from the past few years, I knew he was capable of what he was threatening. He has not attempted to file for any visitation of the child or offered to pay child support; Nor have I sought after either of the two for the simple reason that I do not need his money, and in addition he threatened that if he had to pay child support, he had to see my son. With his history and present, that was and is not acceptable to me. In a year and a half the father has been arrested and conviceted of a misdemeanor for criminal mischief as well as a felony for drug trafficking. As of about 25 days ago, he is now serving 15 months in prison. Has he done/not done enough to result in a termination of parental rights?

[0rphan]

A bio parent cannot be forced to relinquish parental rights, it has to be voluntary.

[cdad]

It may be possible to have most of his rights removed but he will still be liable for child support. And then if anything should he decide to establish a relationship with the child at that time it may only be supervised. But so far as custody and legal decisions he can be stripped if his record is bad enough.

[ScottGem]

That's going to be up to the TN courts. But courts have been very reluctant to terminate parental rights. The rationale they will use is that he's not using his rights so why terminate them? If and when he tries to use his rights then they can deal with it.

However, given his history and the potential danger he represents, they may agree. You will have to go to court to find out.