Termination of Parental Rights in Houston
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Parents have a number of rights pertaining to their children, including the right to visitation, custody, and the ability to make decisions regarding a child’s best interests and well-being. However, these rights are not indefinite and there are situations in which a parent’s rights can be terminated and reassigned to someone else. Whether this is done to protect the child or to allow the child to be adopted, there is still a process that needs to be completed, and you should ensure you have a Houston family law attorney on your side to make sure it’s done right.
Your best wishes and ideal outcome are our ultimate goal when you call the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC. Our team of legal professionals are dedicated to helping protect those who have been subjected to abuse, allowing children to seek a better life with new parental figures, and much more. We know how important your case is to you, and we pride ourselves on offering the highest standards of legal service and quality counsel to ensure your case is resolved quickly and you’re completely satisfied with the experience. We’ve also been recognized for our outstanding dedication to client satisfaction and ethical business practices by obtaining accreditation from the Better Business Bureau.
Do you need help terminating parental rights of a child? Review your options and find out if you qualify by calling The Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC today at (281) 810-9760 for a free case evaluation.
- Involuntary Termination of Parental Rights in Texas
- Relinquishment and Termination of Parental Rights in Texas
- Terminating Parental Rights in Texas on the Absent Parent
When Can Parental Rights Be Terminated?
Parental rights can be difficult to terminate; this is usually only granted by the parent’s consent, or when it can be proven that the parent is no longer fit to serve in that capacity for their child. If you wish to pursue one of these reasons as grounds for terminating parental rights, you should speak with an attorney to learn more about your options. Not everyone may pursue this option, even if grounds for having parental rights terminated exist; you must be involved with the child in some way, including serving as a guardian or conservator previously.
Some instances in which you may be able to terminate parental rights include:
- You are able to demonstrate that you are the actual biological father of the child and the person currently serving as the father was mistakenly placed in that role.
- You wish to adopt a child into your own family as a step-child (in which case you only need to terminate the parental rights of the parent you’ll be replacing)
- The parent has been abusive or physically violent towards a child
- The parent has abandoned the child
How to Terminate Parental Rights
There are two primary ways you can terminate a parent’s rights. The first is with their consent—if the parent agrees to relinquish their rights, then they can be officially absolved with just a few signatures. However, this rarely goes as smoothly as it seems, and more often than not parents are not going to give up their rights willingly.
The second way you can have parental rights removed is by showing that a parent is unfit to fill their role. In order to do this, you must file a claim with family law court, serve the parent notice, and then be able to successfully demonstrate that one or more of the aforementioned reasons exists, such as abandonment or abuse. In this situation, the court will carefully consider the evidence before determining whether or not parental rights should be terminated.
In either instance, it’s wise to have an attorney on your side who can help make sure the process goes over smoothly. Whether it’s ensuring that the proper paperwork is completed correctly to avoid any errors in a voluntary situation, or being able to present a substantial and well-orchestrated case as to why a parent’s rights should be terminated, an attorney can make a huge difference to your case.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC today! Contact us now to get started.
