Can he sign over his paternal rights??

Question

I need a little legal advice. My boyfriend and I are expecting a little baby girl in a couple months. We just recently bought a house together (we haven't even unpacked yet) and he is telling me we are over and I need to move out. In fact, he has already asked one of his friends to move in which he knows I am not ok with. Anyways, although him and his wife have been seperated for a while, they are still legally married and they have a child together as well. Obviously this has been nothing but problems since the beginning. I love him more than anything but lately we just don't get along anymore. My question is, since him and I can not even get along well enough to make decisions for our child, I know it is in her best interest for him to sign over his parental rights. I am ok with it if that is our only option for our daughter to grow up in a positive environment. I am even ok with agreeing for him to not pay child support. We live in Missouri, can he sign over his rights before she is born?? If not, how do we go about doing it??

Answer 1

Get yourself a lawyer. Make sure this is in the best interest of the child. My mom was simply angry with my father and made him do the same thing. He was broke, in college and felt he couldn't afford child support - so he signed. I didn't meet him until I was 28 and there was a definite hole in my heart all those years. She never talked about him and I knew better than to ask. It felt like a whole half of my identity was missing.

Think long and hard and put yourself in your daughter's place. Even though you don't love him, it's still her father and he is irreplaceable no matter how awful he may be. Maybe supervised visitation would be the way to go?  

Answer 2

Yes, you would have to wait until after the child is born.  If it is voluntary, it is considered relinquishment of parental rights.  Forms would need to be filed and your case would be presented to a judge in court.  It should not be a long process if your boyfriend does not contest it.  But by doing so, you do give up your right to ask for any type of support for the  child.

Answer 3

He would have to do this after the child is born most likely in court