[james.ferguson]

What will happen if I write off my child and give custody to my girlfriend. Am I still legally oblegated to the child

[cdad]

Its simple. If you grant her full legal and sole physical custody of the child then you just have to worry about child support for them. You can't just sign away your obligations as they are your child. The only time it waivers from that is in the case of adoption. But you didn't mention that.

Why is it that you want to do this to your child?

[ScottGem]

There is this myth that a parent can just sign a paper and give up rights to their child. I really don't know how this myth got started since the reality is very different.

I suggest you read this sticky: https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/family...st-116098.html
From the top of this forum. As long as you are shown to be the legal father of this child you will have an obligation to support it financially.

[Fr_Chuck]

Agree, visits, legal custody where you have a choice in your child's life, can all be given away, or not used. But they are not related to obligations, such as child support, or insurance or even partial payment for medical bills, depending on what the court may order.

Also if the child or mother receives state benefits ( welfare) the state will come after you for payments even if the mother does not ask for support.

So you will never ever have to even see the child again, just send that monthly payment.

[cdad]

There is this myth that a parent can just sign a paper and give up rights to their child. I really don't know how this myth got started since the reality is very different.

I think it started in the movies. And as with TV many people translate that to reality. If you have seen "angels in the outfield" then you will see this myth in action on the big screen. But the sad reality is that movies are nothing like real life.