[jennyvbabe]

My ex got his ex pregnant because they were told by her doctor she was unable to have kids.. She ended up getting pregnant and against his will is keeping the baby. They obviously have broken up and I am with him and ge is very stressed over this because he already pays child support for his 2 kids... He isn't trying to get out of paying but doesn't want anythibg to do with this kid and wants to give her all rights because she was the one who wanted the child against his wishes

[odinn7]

Guess what? It's not only up to him... you say "against his wishes" like as if he should be allowed the final say in it all. He was big enough to have sex with her, now he is going to have to be big enough to face up to the responsibility of his actions.

He can't just sign away rights... this is not possible. If she wants child support and goes to court, he is going to have to pay whether he wants anything to do with this kid or not.

[Synnen]

He can't sign his rights away.

And even if he COULD, parental RIGHTS only give a parent the right to make choices on behalf of their child--what school, what religion, what medical care, etc.

Parental RESPONSIBILITIES are completely separate from rights, and he's got those until his ex remarries and her husband wants to adopt the child.

He needs to step up and take care of his kid.

And seriously--I wouldn't be with a guy that could walk away from his own child simply because he's not with the mother anymore.

[ScottGem]

As noted, there is a myth that a parent can sign over their rights. Its only a myth. Only a court can terminate parental rights and courts are very reluctant to do so. Generally they will only do so to clear the way for an adoption or if the parent is a danger to the child. They will never do it so a parent can get out of paying support.

[Synnen]

This question played in my mind after I went to bed last night, and I would like to point out a NON-LEGAL aspect of this situation:

If his ex was told by a doctor that she could never have children, this is a miracle child for her. Conceived, it is assumed, with a boyfriend she loved and who she thought loved her at the time. Why in the world would you, or your boyfriend, ask her to terminate the pregnancy or place the child for adoption when this is possibly the ONLY child she will ever have (if she was indeed told she had a medical condition that would prevent pregnancy)?

I think there's more to this story, because if he loved her when they were together, and they were told there was no chance of a child, I would think he'd have been ecstatic that this miracle child was conceived.

Either way, he's not getting out of child support.