Lawsuit concerns rights of fathers when comes to child adoption

Family law can be a particularly complex area to practice in because the laws of each state can be so varied. This particularly came to light after a Pennsylvania mother traveled to another state to give her baby up for adoption without informing the biological father.

The father apparently was told by the mother that their son had died. Only after he sued the woman to find where the child was buried did he discover the child had been put up for adoption. Close to one year later he then learned the child living with the adoptive family was a girl rather than a boy.

This father along with a number of other individuals is suing that particular state for a law that allows mother's to place children for adoption without the biological father's permission. A lawsuit has been brought in federal court challenging the Utah Adoption Act as being unconstitutional. It also seeks monetary damage from that state for fathers who were deprived of their parental rights due to this law.

Though these circumstances are hopefully rare, the family law process needs always to be conducted fairly and ethically. A child should not be deprived of their right to know their biological parent based upon a technicality. The adoption process is already complex. Yet it still needs to serve the purpose of doing what is in the best interest of the child.

Attorneys who understand the family law process are available to help individuals assert their rights in child custody and other matters. These attorneys can also discuss an individual's case and provide them with all of their legal options.

Source: Fox News, "Fathers sue Utah over law allowing mothers to secretly give up babies for adoption," Kelly David Burke, Feb. 13, 2014