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Speak Up! - View Question #20546 |
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Question: I am pregnant and i am planning to go thru a private adoption. the father of the baby is not in my life. my mom is in prison and im wondering what kind of rights i have like signing legal papers to the couple i am giving my baby to. please any info you have would be rad.
Answer: Even though you are a minor, you can sign papers for an adoption. If the father of your baby does not make any attempt to be a part of the child's life, you can probably go ahead with the adoption without his consent. SC Code 20-7-1690. However, the father of your baby would have to be notified of the adoption to give him a chance to assert his parental rights. SC Code 20-7-1734(B)(3). The father would only be able to stop the adoption if he could show that he had made an attempt to be a part of your child's life. The main thing a court will look at is whether he has paid any child support or given you money for medical bills and other expenses because of the pregnancy. The main focus of a family court during an adoption is the best interests of the child. So, even if the father fights to stop the adoption, if the court finds that the adoption is in your child's best interests, the court will not let the father stop the adoption.
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