Fathers Rights During Open Adoption

An open adoption can be a great option for many people in different circumstances. While the mother is the one who ends up making most of the decisions, the father isn’t left out. There are some rights depending on the situation that the father has.

When it comes to the father’s rights during an open adoption, they are sometimes forgotten about. There are different laws when it comes to the rights that he has and they vary by state. As a birth father it is important that you know what your rights are and what you can do to ensure that your child gets the best life possible.

Presumed Father

A man that has his name on the birth certificate and has been supporting the birth mother or is legally married to her is the presumed father. When a man is the presumed father, he has the right to stop the adoption if he sees fit. He also has the right to be completely involved in it when it comes to choosing a family and deciding what type of adoption it will be.

Putative Father

Should a man believe that is in fact the birth father of the child, then he will be known as the putative father. This will protect him in his state when it comes to getting involved in the adoption process.

Open Adoptions

Many birth parents choose to have an open adoption with their child. When this is the case, agencies will want to meet with both of the biological parents so they can discuss potential family profiles and decide how much contact they will receive. The adoptive family will also come into play when it comes to the amount of contact the birth parents will get to have with the child.