Legal Rights of Fathers

What rights and responsibilities does the father have?

Legally, an adoption could be reversed if the legal birth father has not signed away his parental rights to his child. By the same token, if either the birth mother or father has been coerced into placing a child for adoption, the same thing could happen.

When birth mothers are counseled regarding an adoption option, she is generally told what her legal rights are. However, the same may not be true for the birth father, since his identity may not have been revealed and he may not know of the pregnancy.

This site offers several resources for fathers who may be facing an adoption placement of his child. As the birth father (with paternity of the father having been proven), he has legal rights to help decide what is best for his child, just as the birth mother does.

There are many websites available with legal information, but listed below are a few of them for reference and assistance.

• Lutheran Social Services & Programs:http://www.lssadopt.org/Pregnancy/legalrights.htm
• The International Council on Infertiltiy Information Dissemination, Inc.: http://www.inciid.org/article.php?cat=exploringadoption&id=507
• Friends in Adoption: http://www.friendsinadoption.org/If_you_are_pregnant/birth_father_legal_rights.asp
• Adoption Angels: http://www.adoptionangels.com/About.htm

You can find the answers to a number of questions concerning paternity (legal fatherhood) and child support at the Child Support Program website provided by the State of Wisconsin, Department of Workforce Development. The Web address is: www.dwd.state.wi.us/bcs