What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Pennsylvania.
I have a little girl. She is going to be 4 in December. Three weeks after her birth, her biological father, or "sperm donor" is what I consider him. For the simple reason that he has not contributed to her welfare at all. Not a single shred of clothing, not a single diaper. He only saw her for the first 2 1/2 weeks of her life. During that time he was incredibly abusive to me, even during the pregnancy. However most of that is void due to no legal documentation. There are some documented instances where he had received harassment charges for hitting members of my family. After he left here to go back home, he has an arrest record for stabbing one of his "girlfriends" in the leg". Also random drug charges, and an extensive record for an instability with mental heath, including several hospitalizations. He hasn't paid a dime in child support, although I filed for it. Later on, he agreed to voluntarily sign a termination of his parental rights with the stipulation that I were to terminate child support. Well, after I held up my end of the bargain, naive as I was, he had another paranoid episode, where in his severe delusion, I would take him for back child support etc. I had explained the legalities, but Mr. Know-it-all dismissed everything I had to say and stuck with his ignorance and paranoia. He has also never held a job in his entire life, he is 22 years old, and still has never learned to drive, never had a permit. Basically a bum and a poor immature choice on my part. Basically that's the back story. ( Also no need to comment on my premature stupidity, I'm well aware of my horrible choices, I'm now looking for a way to mend my mistakes and give my daughter the life she deserves, without him ) He's not even interested in her. Basically he has told me, he will never give up his rights, that he wants to watch me suffer.
Currently I am with a man who has provided everything, as well as I have for my daughter. We give her everything she wants and more. She has a stable, loving life and environment. She even has a little brother now. My Fiancee has taken her in as his own. Doesn't think of her as a step-child but as his own. He shows true care and no difference in treatment, or feeling towards my daughter, even though there is no biological tie. We have provided her with top schooling, basic needs, everyday wants, pets, toys, etc everything a child needs and wants. I had went through Legal Aid a year back to try and get his rights terminated. The woman representing my case listened to my long, very detailed, and very disturbing story of her biological father. She told me that my best bet, was not here. She said that i would need to terminate rights through legal action which, MIGHT work. Depending.
My fiancee wants to adopt my daughter as his own so that she doesn't have to feel in any way different from any other siblings. So that she can have security and no longer will be at risk to the possibility of "him" coming back into her life. She already states that her last name is "fiancee's last name" She knows nothing about "him" or his name. He has never tried to contact her, I have tried to give him contact... to TRY to be the good guy. He basically refused and/or showed no interest. I gave up.
Basically my question is, from the back story, and what I've stated is her current surrounding. Will I be able to terminate rights if I found a lawyer ?(cost info would be nice but not absolutely needed ) What are my chances that this could make matters worse, and bring him into her life? What is my best course of action.
I have a little girl. She is going to be 4 in December. Three weeks after her birth, her biological father, or "sperm donor" is what I consider him. For the simple reason that he has not contributed to her welfare at all. Not a single shred of clothing, not a single diaper. He only saw her for the first 2 1/2 weeks of her life. During that time he was incredibly abusive to me, even during the pregnancy. However most of that is void due to no legal documentation. There are some documented instances where he had received harassment charges for hitting members of my family. After he left here to go back home, he has an arrest record for stabbing one of his "girlfriends" in the leg". Also random drug charges, and an extensive record for an instability with mental heath, including several hospitalizations. He hasn't paid a dime in child support, although I filed for it. Later on, he agreed to voluntarily sign a termination of his parental rights with the stipulation that I were to terminate child support. Well, after I held up my end of the bargain, naive as I was, he had another paranoid episode, where in his severe delusion, I would take him for back child support etc. I had explained the legalities, but Mr. Know-it-all dismissed everything I had to say and stuck with his ignorance and paranoia. He has also never held a job in his entire life, he is 22 years old, and still has never learned to drive, never had a permit. Basically a bum and a poor immature choice on my part. Basically that's the back story. ( Also no need to comment on my premature stupidity, I'm well aware of my horrible choices, I'm now looking for a way to mend my mistakes and give my daughter the life she deserves, without him ) He's not even interested in her. Basically he has told me, he will never give up his rights, that he wants to watch me suffer.
Currently I am with a man who has provided everything, as well as I have for my daughter. We give her everything she wants and more. She has a stable, loving life and environment. She even has a little brother now. My Fiancee has taken her in as his own. Doesn't think of her as a step-child but as his own. He shows true care and no difference in treatment, or feeling towards my daughter, even though there is no biological tie. We have provided her with top schooling, basic needs, everyday wants, pets, toys, etc everything a child needs and wants. I had went through Legal Aid a year back to try and get his rights terminated. The woman representing my case listened to my long, very detailed, and very disturbing story of her biological father. She told me that my best bet, was not here. She said that i would need to terminate rights through legal action which, MIGHT work. Depending.
My fiancee wants to adopt my daughter as his own so that she doesn't have to feel in any way different from any other siblings. So that she can have security and no longer will be at risk to the possibility of "him" coming back into her life. She already states that her last name is "fiancee's last name" She knows nothing about "him" or his name. He has never tried to contact her, I have tried to give him contact... to TRY to be the good guy. He basically refused and/or showed no interest. I gave up.
Basically my question is, from the back story, and what I've stated is her current surrounding. Will I be able to terminate rights if I found a lawyer ?(cost info would be nice but not absolutely needed ) What are my chances that this could make matters worse, and bring him into her life? What is my best course of action.
