[gray8888]

I raised my daughter alone without her bio-father for 14 years, he had NO contact with her until just last year, now he is filing for full custody and for me to pay child support and all his lawyer fees? I am wondering If there was a way to work out an arrangement with him so I don't have to pay child support or legally is there anyway to get out of paying him child support? Mel

[ScottGem]

What makes you think he's going to get full custody? Why did you never file for child support?

You can't voluntarily relinquish rights. Only a court can terminate rights. And courts will not terminate rights to let a parent out of paying support.

Also this whole thing doesn't make sense. You raised your daughter for 14 years and all of a sudden are ready to just roll over and give her up to her stranger of a father? There has to be more to this story.

[karriegab82]

FIGHT IT TO THE TEETH. He would first have to prove you unfit as a parent for a judge to just up root a 14 year old girl, who is also old enough to tell the judge who she wants to live with. GET a LAWYER FAST. Because if you lose custody, you will have to pay with or without your rights, she is still your legal responsibility unless there is a step mom to adopt.

[Fr_Chuck]

First if he has had no contact for 14 years, I see no way he will get full custody.

Next if he lives near you where there is no school district issues, he may at most get joint custody.

So unless you are an unfit mother somehow, I see little chance of him winning anything more than visits.

BUT>>>>>> to answer your question, no you can not sign over your rights so you don't have to pay child support, does not work like that anywhere in the US.

I have some extreme issues with a mother who would have raised her child for 14 years and then want to give away rights, that bothers me deeply