[jujudug]

My fiancé would like me to adopt her four year old son, as would I. The child's father has only seen him a couple times and has had no contact with him in a year. He only pays his child support to get out of jail or else to keep from going to jail he will make a quick payment to save his own butt! He makes no attempt to visit or contact his child, the only time he ever came around in the past was a few times very late at night when he knew the child was in bed. His only concern was the child's mother, as he never asked about his child or even acknowledged him during these visits. During the last court proceeding which was for delinquent child support, the child's father verbally attacked the mother outside the court room, asking about her buissines, but once again forgetting to acknowledge the chld even existed. How can we go about getting this procedure on the ball, and what chance do we have of getting his rights taken away, as it has become very obvious that he cares nothing about the child, he is a well known drug dealer in the area and the judge ruling over the previous proceeding has had him in drug cases before yet he lowered his child support payments because he has no job, and has not had one since the child has been born. What do we do? Ps we live in Indiana

[ScottGem]

First you get married. After you are married you petition family court to adopt the child. Part of that process will be getting the father to relinquish his rights. Since the adoption will end his financial responsibility sounds like he shouldn't have a problem doing it.

If he's unwilling to sign, then you would have to petititon the court to end his rights, a possibility given what you've told us.