3 Things You Need To Know About Getting Parental Rights Terminated
Posted on: 27 July 2016
After a divorce many couples have custody agreements to handle the care of the children. In some cases, one parent is unfit to care for the children. In this case, the parent with full custody may want to have the parental rights of their ex-spouse terminated. If this is the case for you, there are some very important things you need to know about getting parental rights terminated.
1. You Will Need To Prove That The Parent Is Unfit
Getting parental rights terminated is very hard. In order to do this you have to prove that your ex-spouse is incredibly unfit for parenthood. This can be done by doing a couple different things. First, if there has been abuse in the home you can use this to show that your ex-spouse is a danger to the children. If your spouse abuses alcohol, drugs or any substances, you could show that they are unable to safely watch the children. Another way to show that they are unfit is if they haven't been paying child support and have been an absent parent. If you can prove these things, the court may consider terminating parental rights.
2. There Will Be Hearings and Psychological Assessments
After you have hired a lawyer and started the process, you should expect to have your children meet with a psychologist for an assessment and to go to hearings with a judge. During the assessments the psychologist will determine what kind of relationship your ex-spouse has with the child and if the child is better off without the parent or not.
During the hearing you and your ex-spouse will get the chance to explain why you want or don't want the parental rights terminated. You should both hire a lawyer to help with the process. This will ensure that your voice is heard and that you make the best possible argument to get what you want.
3. It Will Take A Good Deal Of Time To Get The Termination Granted
Even if everything is in your favor to get parental rights terminated of your ex-spouse, it still may take a good deal of time to actually get it done. For some people it can take years to get everything resolved. This is why you should start the process early, and then be patient while it all plays out. You shouldn't plan anything like an adoption from a stepparent until the termination is actually final.
By understanding these things you have a better chance of getting parental rights terminated. For more information, click here.
Share