Category Archives: Child Custody

What Is Childhood Abandonment?

Childhood abandonment is wide category and can describe many behaviors and actions. Some examples include:

• Only minimal efforts are made to communicate and support a child or children.
• Leaving an infant child or children in dumpsters, trash cans, on the side of the road or doorsteps.
• Leaving a child or children with another party without providing provisions for the support of the child or children and with no meaningful conversation with the child or children for in excess of three months.
• Not participating in an appropriate program reuniting the parent or guardian with a child or children.
• Not having regular visits for 6 months or longer with a child or children.
• Unwilling to be the provider of care, supervision or support for the child.
• Absence from the home for a such a time that it poses a risk of harm to the child or children.

Child Abandonment Laws

Laws differ depending on the state you and the child or children reside in. some states have specific laws regarding child abandonment, whereas others consider it under already established child abuse laws. Most states consider the abandonment of a child or children as a felony. This includes when a guardian or parent physically abandons a child or children when they have the intention of the relinquishment of all their responsibilities and rights towards said child or children. On the other hand, some states classify this as a misdemeanor (usually invoking less harsh penalties) considering acts of abandonment that are not physical in nature. In both sets of circumstances, child abandonment is frequently defined as:

• Leaves a child or children typically beneath 13 years of age without the supervision of a responsible person (normally thought to be over 14 years of age.)
• Failure to keep contact with the child or children and not providing reasonable levels of support for specified time periods.

Speaking from a standpoint of criminality, the definition of child desertion is the physical abandonment of a child or children but in some states, it can include what is termed emotional abandonment and failing to provide needed, food, shelter, clothing and medical care for their child or children.

Mandated Reporting Laws

As some states qualify the abandonment of a child or children as a form of child abuse, certain people in the realm of the child or children may have a legal obligation to report suspected or known situations to the appropriate authorities. Regulations and rules change depending on the state you are in so you will need to check to see if you fit the criteria of being what is called a “mandatory reporter.”

Safe Haven Legal Exceptions

Safe Haven laws in most states have exceptions to child abandonment laws. These Safe Haven laws allow mothers to abandon their infants who are newborn in what has been established as a safe place, such as fire stations, houses and churches without them having to fear being charged with the abandonment of a child or children.

Leaving A Child Alone at Home

Sometimes it may be unavoidable to leave a child or children at home without supervision. In general, states offer guidance to help parents avoid charges of child abandonment, Some states have statutes that will weigh a number of factors when deciding to pursue a charge of child abandonment such as the length of time the child or children were left alone, economic hardship or illness of the guardian or parent responsible for the child or children and the age of the child or children.

Punishment and Penalties for Child Abandonment

Depending on the state where they reside, an individual who is facing charges of child abandonment may be having to consider wide ranging punishments and penalties as well as multiple sentencing options, largely dependent on whether the state considers the abandonment of a child or children as a misdemeanor or crime. It is worth knowing a court can impose not only the termination of parental rights and jail time but also qualify supervised access to the child or children in the future and financial penalties in the form of fines. There is also a possibility an individual will have to face charges of reckless abandonment that has a far harsher penalty should a child or children die for a reason linked to their desertion.

Loss of Parental Rights

Most states maintain a parent is deemed to have abandoned a child or children following a period of two years when they have limited their financial support and contact. This abandonment can result in a parent losing their rights to the child or children. Nonetheless, a parent is not in a position where they can elect or make a choice regarding the forfeiture of these responsibilities and rights. Indeed, even in situations where there is little to no doubt that a child or children have been willfully abandoned, it is the viewpoint of most states they will not take the legal steps to terminate the rights of a parent except in circumstances where there is another figure willing to take on the role of a parent and who is in a position to formally adopt the child or children.

Source: “My Wife Cheated On Me and I Want a Divorce.” Maples Family Law, 17 Jan. 2019, https://www.maplesfamilylaw.com/divorce/my-wife-cheated-on-me-and-i-want-a-divorce

What Does Termination of Parental Rights Mean?

When the rights of a parent are terminated it means the rights that person had as a parent of their child or children have been taken away so that person no longer remains the legal parent of the child. This has a number of implications:

• There is no longer a parent-child relationship.
• The parent usually has forgone the right to speak with or visit with the child or children.
• The parent no longer has an obligation to pay child support.
• The parent no longer gets to raise the child or children.
• The parent is removed from the birth certificate of the child or children.
• The child or children can be adopted by another without the permission of the parent.

There is a reason the nickname for the termination of a parents right is referred to as the civil death penalty – such matters are taken with a great deal of levity by judges, who do not usually terminate the rights of a parent unless there is a very good reason to do so. The following information is in reference to private terminations of parent’s rights among family members only.

Who Is Allowed to Terminate A Parent’s Rights?

A petition to terminate the rights of a parent can be filed by a guardian, parent or family member. When the petitioner of the child is in receipt of public assistance such as SNAP or TANF it is not very likely the parent’s rights will be terminated by a judge. In those circumstances, the child support office has to mandatorily notified regarding a termination if the petitioner is in receipt of public assistance. The Department of Family Services, known as the DFS may request a judge to terminate the rights of a parent in instances when CPS has been involved with a family. Normally, this occurs when the DFS has been involved with the family for in excess of a year and has made numerous attempts to address the outstanding family problems. If the issues are very serious and/or the parent has failed to make progress, the District Attorney may be asked by the DFS to file a parental rights termination case.

Can I Opt to Give Up My Parental Rights?

In most cases the answer will be no. Judges, more often than not, have the view a child or children need two parents so that sufficient financial and emotional support is provided. Parental rights cannot be given up in order to avoid addressing poor behavior in a child or children and neither can you unilaterally relinquish your parental rights. In normal circumstances, you will usually have to attend a court hearing in person to explain your situation and unique goals to the judge.  Every case is different and no outcome can be guaranteed by any lawyer.

Reasons for Termination of Parental Rights

• Only a very minimal effort has been made to support the child or children by the parent – this includes taking care of the child or children and communicating with the child or children.
• The child or children would face a serious risk of mental, emotional or physical injury being in the company of the parent.
• The parent is unfit in that they refuse or are incapable of providing the child or children the proper guidance, support or care.
• When the child or children were conceived following a sexual assault. When the parent has been convicted for such a crime, their parenting rights can be legally terminated.
• The parent has been neglectful meaning the child or children have not been correctly taken care of, this includes shelter, medical care, providing food, education and any other special need the child or children may require.
• When CPS has taken a child or children from the home, the parent only has a limited window of time to address and correct the reasons for the removal of the child or children. If in a reasonable time, the parent does not correct those issues, the state can and often will petition to terminate parental rights.
• When the parent displays behaviors related to abandonment indicating they desire to give up all their rights regarding the child or children. In these cases, it usually means a parent has not contacted the child or children for a time in excess of 6 months without good reason for doing so.

Regardless of any parent’s preference, the assigned judge is always going to decide on what they consider is going to be in the best interests of the child or children. Clear and convincing evidence must be produced by the party requesting the termination; this is one of the highest burdens of proof imposed by the law.

Where Do I File for Termination Of Parental Rights?

Termination of parental rights and be filed at the Juvenile or Family Superior Court in the county where the child or children resides. You may also file in the county where one of the parents makes their home. However, when the child or children are Native American, these matters are usually handled by the independent tribal court.

I Haven’t Heard From The Other Parent In Years. Is There A Fast Way To Terminate Their Rights?

Sadly, in these circumstances, it may take longer if the other parent cannot be located. The other party will have to be personally served with papers, giving them the opportunity to attend court and defend their custodial rights, should they choose to do so. When you are not aware of the location of the other parent, the judge has an expectation you will do everything in your power to locate them by speaking with family, friends, their employer, email and online searches, etc. A judge may allow you to post a notice in a newspaper should the previously named searches do not reveal the parent’s location.

How Do I Terminate Parental Rights In Arizona?

In Arizona, at least one of the following statutory grounds must be asserted and proven with clear and convincing evidence:

• Within 30 days after being served with a Notice of Adoption, the presumed father failed to file a claim of paternity.
• The parents have agreed to an adoption of their child or children or have relinquished the child or children to a licensed adoption agency.
• Serious Neglect or abuse of the child or children.
• Abandonment
• A chronic substance abuse history from the parent which cannot be remedied or treated
• When one parent faces felony incarceration for a considerable period of time, or life sentence.

The statutes containing the comprehensive list a court may rely on when terminating parental rights can be discovered here.

Do I Need A Lawyer for Termination Of Parental Rights In Arizona?

The termination of parental rights is a very serious matter and you should ideally engage a lawyer to assist in navigating difficult to understand laws and procedures that are mandatory in this process. In situations where DFS has filed a case seeking to terminate your custodial rights, an attorney will usually be appointed to represent your situation at no cost. However, you sometimes get what you pay for.  In circumstances where the other parent has decided to file a case against you, you should seriously think about getting a qualified and experienced attorney to help defend your rights.

Sources:

On occasion, when your child or children are taken from you, it can constitute a crime such as unlawful kidnapping. However, when you are married and there are no custody orders from the court, it remains legal for your child or children to be taken by the other parent until a court issues orders to the contrary. Or, in the case where you are divorced, and the mother has been granted primary custody for the child or children it is not appropriate for the other parent to take them. On the other hand, it becomes more complicated when there is joint legal decision making. You would need to consult a copy of the custody order to ascertain when your child or children can be taken by the other parent. It is crucially important to have an understanding that primary custody is markedly different than joint legal decision-making.

Following visitation or parenting time, the other parent has an obligation to return your child or children or let you collect your child or children.  Both parents can and should follow their family custody orders insofar as they are formal orders by the court, enforceable by law, and by extension, law enforcement officers if necessary.  Should one parent unilaterally elect to refuse return of your children, this act, standing alone, is a violation of a court order which can lead to fines, purge orders, or even confinement should a finding of custodial interference or parental kidnapping be made by the Court.

When You Have Sole Legal Decision Making

• When there is an ongoing 209A Abuse Prevention Case pending and you have a custody order relevant to it.
• When as a parent who is not married, you have a court order that states you have primary custody and parenting time.
• When you are a mother who is not married and there is no custody order, but you are in possession of a court order that states the name of the father of the child or children.
• When you are a mother who is not married, and no party has been to court to obtain an order stating who is the father of the child or children – this is known as establishing paternity.
• When you are a divorced parent, or married, and you are in possession of a court order that states you have primary custody for the child or children.

When You Don’t Have Sole Legal Decision Making

• When you are married and there is not a custody order in place. In that situation physical custody is presumably shared by both parents.
• When there is a court order stating the other parent and you have shared physical custody.

What Can I Do if the Other Parent Decides to Kidnap Our Child or Children?

It is a crime when the other parent takes your child or children or keeps your child or children away from you when they do not have a right to do so.

The other parent does not have the right to keep or take your child or children from you when you have an order of primary or shared custody. When visitation or court-ordered parenting time has reached its conclusion, the other parent must return the child or children to you or allow you to collect the child or children. The other parent does not have the right to keep your child or children away from you or take the child or children away from you when you have courYt-ordered parenting time or shared physical custody. In addition, the other parent has no right to keep your child outside of the scheduled parenting time, nor do they have the right to take the child or children without your permission.

In situations where the other parent keeps or takes your child or children when they do not have the right to do so, you have the following options:

• Contact the police.
• Encourage local prosecutors to file criminal charges.
• Go to the Probate and Family Court to file an enforcement motion.
• If your child or children was taken abroad contact the U.S. State Department.
• Make contact with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The Police Can Do The Following:

• Attempt to find your child or children and then return your child or children to you.
• Criminal charges can be filed against the other parent in the sole discretion of the local prosecutor’s office.
• Find your missing child or children by working with the National Center for Missing And Exploited Children.

Note: If you do not have a custody order and you are not married to the father of the child or children, the police may require you to go to the Probate and Family Court to obtain a custody order.

File Criminal Charges

• A criminal complaint can be filed against the other parent by going to the District Court near you and filing at the office belonging to the criminal clerk.
• If the other parent has kidnapped your child or children, you can also call the office of the District or County Attorney to let them know.

When You Go to Probate and Family Court

• You may file a petition to establish custody or paternity depending on whether you are married or not married to the other biological parent.
• Your family law petition will address the Juvenile or Family Court which may order the other parent to return the child or children to you. Another option is the court can also give an order to the sheriff so they can forcibly bring the other parent to the court. It will be necessary for a lawyer to assist you with this process.
• File what is known for as “Petitioner for Contempt”. Jail can be a consequence for the other parent if they do not obey the orders if issued.

Contacting the U.S. State Department

Once contacted, the U.S. State Department is able to assist when the other parent takes your child or children outside the boundaries of the United States.

What If the Other Parent Takes our Child but We Are Married and There Is No Court Order of Custody?

In circumstances when there has never been a court order regarding custody and you are married, it is not a crime when the other parent takes your child or children away from your home. Under the law, it is not considered to be kidnapping under the law. To try and get your child or children back, you may be able to obtain the custody order from the Family Court by commencing an action for marital dissolution or legal separation and seeking immediate temporary orders awarding you some level of custody.

How Can I Stop The Other Parent from Taking Our Child Out of the Country?

When you think your child or children may be removed from the country by the other parent, you can request an order from the Probate and Family Court that:

• Places the name of your child or children on the Do Not Depart list maintained by the federal government.
• The other parent can be court ordered and forbidden from departing the United States with your children or child.

When the name of your child or children are not on the Do Not Depart list, an alert will be triggered by the Transport Security Administration, known as the TSA, which routinely scans all passports belonging to your child or children when they are at the airport. When this occurs, the TSA will not allow your child or children to proceed further through the airport. In this case, you will need the skills of a lawyer for help with this particular court order. A lawyer can:

• Demonstrate to the family court judge the need for such an order;
• Ensure the TSA has full knowledge your child or children is on the Do Not Depart list after orders are issued by the family court judge.

Source: “Can the Other Parent Take Our Child Away?” MassLegalHelp, https://www.masslegalhelp.org/domestic-violence/wdwgfh7/other-parent-take-child.

Custody Violations and Custody Decisions

There are several types of custody a court can make but in essence they are dealing with the assignation of child custody to one or both parental parties. Popular custody types include:

• Primary Custodial Parenting Time– the child or children resides with only one of the parents
• Sole Legal Decision Making– one parent has the complete responsibility for the welfare, health and education of the child or children
• Joint and Equal Parenting Time – both parties have large amounts of physical visitation with their child or children
• Joint Legal Decision Making – both parents share equal responsibility for the decisions regarding a child or children’s welfare, health and education

A mother can face an accusation of violating the rights of a father if she does not uphold her court-mandated responsibilities to the child or children, or if she decides to interfere with the ability of the father by making it difficult or impossible for him to invoke his custodial rights. Courts view paternal rights very seriously including the rights a father has to be a co-parent in the raising of his child or children. Judges tend to reject a parent’s credibility when one parent purposefully or even accidentally interferes with the responsibilities and rights of the other party or acts as a damaging influence in the relationship a parent has with their child or children.

Visitation

Parents’ parenting time rights are shared via written court orders including the times and dates when a parent may invoke custody rights. The court order may be more specific and clearly make a determination regarding child transportation and locations where the kids can be collected at the start and end of a visitation. Both parents are strongly urged to stick to the mandated court schedule yet remain flexible to accommodate reasonable needs of the other parent. When the court ordered schedule is deviated against your wishes for multiple weeks or months, it is usually best to head back to court and have a legal modification completed to the court order. If a new schedule has been verbally agreed by the parents and the mother then commit a violation of said schedule, the father may be in a position whereby he is not able to obtain the legal enforcement of the previously stated verbal agreement.

Can A Mother Violate The Rights Of A Father?

Here are some of the common ways a mother can violate a fathers’ rights:

• Mother’s unilateral scheduling of activities during Father’s custodial parenting time, thereby making it impossible for father to be able to spend time with his child or children to the extent allowed under the terms of the court ordered visitation schedule;
• Encourages others or takes part in ridiculing the father with the purpose of discrediting the father and his relationship with his child or children;
• Without permission or agreement with the father, takes the child or children and permanently moves them to an out of state location;
• Uses the child or children as a message boy or girl to the father or involving the child or children in any issues regarding divorce proceedings or custody issues with a goal of disturbing the time a father has with his child or children;
• Does not co-parent with the father of the child or children;
• When the father is behind on child support, the mother denies him access to the child or children;
• Mother does not adhere to an established schedule and frequently has the father waiting on her to deliver or collect the child or children;
• The mother neglects to include and involve the father of the child or children when he has joint custody in making decisions regarding the upbringing of the child or children; and
• Subjects the father to accusations of child neglect and/or abuse of his child or children despite knowing what she is saying is false.

Recourse When a Mother Violates The Rights Of A Father

The first thing a father should attempt is communication with mother but not when a restraining order against you is not already in place. If this is the case, you need to speak to a family law attorney without delay to initiate conversation with the attorney of the other party. It will be of great benefit to keep a documented record of the times, dates and methods used by the mother whenever a violation of your rights has occurred. Should the mother make a decision to continue with the violation of your visitation or custody rights, you can call the local police department and they have the means to enforce the orders of the court. If the mother refuses you access to your child or children, help can be obtained from the local district attorney’s Child Abduction Unit. And of course, you should let your attorney know about any involvement of law enforcement in the scenario you are facing.

If you desire, a contempt court action can be filed by your attorney against the mother of your child or children. A contempt hearing can then be scheduled and a Judge will make a determination if the mother is indeed in violation of the established court custodial orders. If this is found to be the case, the court can do some or indeed all of the following in their judgment:

• Permit the father additional visitation rights to his child or children by making a change to the established custody order;
• Grant the father primary physical custody of the child or children, thereby again changing the established custody order;
• Change the custody order to give the father sole legal custody;
• Make an order where the mother can only have visitation which is limited to “supervised visits”;
• Impose a jail sentence or fines on the mother for contempt of court; and
• As the father had to bring the contempt of court action, the judge may decide the mother is responsible for the legal fees of the father.

Source: Wallin, Paul. “Consequences Mothers Face for Violating Father’s Rights: WK.” Wkfamilylaw, 17 Dec. 2018, https://www.wkfamilylaw.com/consequences-mothers-face-violating-fathers-rights/.