Can a mother give up her parental rights; would she still have to pay child support?
— Anonymous A. In most states, a judge will not terminate the parental rights of a biological parent, even if that parent is willing, unless there’s another parent waiting in the wings ready and able to adopt the child. The reason is that no judge would want to bastardize a child by decree. Typically, if the judge terminates parental rights, that stops the accrual of new child support obligations but leaves unchanged any arrearage that had already accumulated.
In most states, a judge will not terminate the parental rights of a biological parent, even if that parent is willing, unless there’s another parent waiting in the wings ready and able to adopt the child. The reason is that no judge would want to bastardize a child by decree. Typically, if the judge terminates parental rights, that stops the accrual of new child support obligations but leaves unchanged any arrearage that had already accumulated.
Related Questions
- If a person voluntarily surrenders his or her parental rights, is he or she still obligated to pay child support, including medical bills?
- Should biological fathers have the right to terminate parental rights and not be obligated to pay child support?"
- Does a man still have to pay child support even if he signed away his parental rights more?
