Full question:
I'm interested in signing over my parental rights. What exactly do I need to do? I have been supporting my children (their mother has custody) since they were born. I'm required to have separate medical coverage when it's not even used. I can't enroll in school due to back support I owe.
- Category: Paternity
- Subcategory: Termination of Parental Rights
- Date:
- State: Iowa
Answer:
Parents do not cease to be parents when there is a divorce or separation between them; the ongoing obligations of a parent to provide for the emotional and physical well-being of a child only ends with the emancipation of the child, or the death of a parent or child, or the formal termination of parental rights. Termination of parental rights is a court order that severs the rights, powers, privileges, immunities, duties and obligations between a parent and child. A termination of parental rights may be voluntary or involuntary. Even if the statutory grounds for termination of parental rights are established, the court need not terminate parental rights if such action is not in the childs best interests.
A juvenile court in Iowa may terminate a parents parental rights if the parents voluntarily and intelligently consent to the termination of parental rights and the parent-child relationship and for good cause desire the termination.
A petition for termination of parental rights shall include the following:
a. The legal name, age, and domicile, if any, of the child.
b. The names, residences, and domicile of any:
(1) Living parents of the child.
(2) Guardian of the child.
(3) Custodian of the child.
(4) Guardian ad litem of the child.
(5) Petitioner.
(6) Person standing in the place of the parents of the child.
c. A plain statement of those facts and grounds which indicate that the parent-child relationship should be terminated.
d. A plain statement explaining why the petitioner does not know any of the information required under paragraphs "a" and "b" of this subsection.
e. A complete list of the services which have been offered to preserve the family and a statement specifying the services provided to address the reasons stated in any order for removal or in any dispositional or permanency order which did not return the child to the child's home.
f. The signature and verification of the petitioner.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.
