Many Connecticut residents have children outside of wedlock. When the relationship with the father of a child ends, the mother may find love again and marry. Her husband may wish to adopt her child, but the biological father may come forward to object. A family law attorney could prove helpful under these circumstances.
In order for an unmarried father to have any legal rights to a biological child, his paternity must be established. If this was not done at the child’s birth, the father may seek it through a court proceeding. If DNA testing concludes that he is the biological father, then he will more than likely gain legal parental rights to the child.
However, that does not necessarily mean that an objection to the adoption by the biological father will be successful. The court will look at a number of factors, including whether he provided financial assistance to the mother through her pregnancy and the birth. In addition, the court will consider whether the biological father paid child support. In the absence of these financial contributions, the court may determine that the biological father had no real commitment to the child. If the father has issues with drug or alcohol abuse, that could also affect whether his objection will be considered by the court.
Most Connecticut parents want to do what they believe is in the best interests of their children. For some mothers, that means consenting to a stepparent adoption. However, it may be necessary to overcome the objections of the biological father before the adoption can go through. With the future of a child at stake, it may be beneficial to enlist the aid of a family law attorney to help improve the chances that the adoption will go through.
Source: FindLaw, “Parental Rights: Unmarried Fathers and Adoption,” Accessed on July 23, 2017