I'm trying to find a website that tells how the adoption laws have changed in Texas regarding paternity...

Question

can somebody give me a web link or at least more information on specifically what has changed? My son's adoption agency recently told me the laws have changed in Texas and I heard it on the news as well. First moms no longer have to notify the father about a pregnancy. I just wanted to know specifically how it has changed.

This is not an opinion question so please don't rant about how you think the father has a right to know. I'm in total agreement with that so I don't need a lecture. I'm just wanting specific information on how the law has changed for someone else who is wondering.

Answer 1

You may not want hear this; but the laws Texas passed are due to federal rulings, and various state supreme court rulings, that protect a father when he wasn't properly notified.

A lot of case law was made in the past 5 to 10 years over this issue and Texas is trying to use statutes to get what they want; but they will be trumped by federal law. It won't be long before those new laws get bounced up against federal law.

FYI: If you adopt a child and the father was not notified you will loose in federal court. There was an adoptive family that fought a father a few years ago and they spent $250k trying to keep the child. They lost to the father and the adoption agency had to pay his legal fees (about$100k).

Added:

Those new laws that they are talking about have to do with the woman not needing to notify the father when the child is being adopted out. It does NOT stop the father from having rights.

Answer 2

You can look it up on the Texas Family Code or go to Texas AAAA Adoption Attorneys websites.

Answer 3

I have looked everywhere and don't see anything that says that the father doesn't have rights to his child anymore.  I am also in Texas, so this concerns me a great deal!

However, what I'm thinking is this.  Maybe it only means that the MOTHER no longer has the legal obligation to tell the father of her pregnancy, not that the father doesn't have the right to be told before the child is adopted.  Maybe it's a way to try to get fathers to sign the paternity registry...  I'm not sure.  It sounds sketcy, but I did find this on the state's website...  

http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/vs/field/doc...  

It clearly says that if a father fills it out, he has a right to be told before his parental rights are terminated or the child is placed for adoption.  I would say that right now, if you're a father (or a potential father) in Texas, you should fill one out.  If you're in the habbit of having mulitple partners, you might want to keep a stack of them by your bedside.  

If anyone does get more info, I'd love to know!

PS>  Why did I get thumbs down on this?  There wasn't really any opinion to it.  I'm confused!

Answer 4

don't know about the laws but don't ya think the father has a right to know just like the mother? I have no problem with adoption but shouldn't both parents be involved.

Answer 5

First I heard. I live in Texas and if you find the web site for this please let me know. My son's child was taking by a adoption agency and was not informed. He found out about the birth 2 days before the child was born. The mother hid his daughter and the pregnancy but after she moved out of my son's house she moved in with another guy.

  The adoption agency and social worker both got violations for no 2 face to face contact. Which is state law so you do have to inform the father. First mom's might not have to inform the father's but adoption agency's all over the world has to try to find the fathers. That why my son didn't lose his rights to his son because he could prove in court that he was lied to and the pregnancy was hid.

I looked at that site and didn't see anything. My son's case was in 2005,2006,2007 and now 2008 and nothing has changed where the adoption agencies can not inform the father. There is a case where birth mother didn't inform father and hid where the child was and that she put the child up for adoption everything was done in fraud and the birth mother her parents and the adoption lawyer and the adopted couple where sued in the amount of 7 million and the natural father won the lawsuit. I really don't think i would run the chance of that. Being honest is the way to go. Don't you agree?

Grandmother of Hunter, Mother of Shawn Mcdonald. Father fighting for son.

Answer 6

Link to several articles on Texas Law Adoption Changes:

http://www.ask.com/web?qsrc=167&o=0&l=di...

I know that Hillary Clition was the one that made adoption much easier for the woman who wants to give up the baby!!

Hope these sites help, for I live in Texas and I have heard some of the information, just not all!