Parental rights refer to the legal concept of the rights parents have to their children when it comes to making decisions regarding education, religion, healthcare, and more.
These rights are automatic to both parents upon the birth of a child to married parents. If the parents are not married, the mother has natural custody, and the father will need to establish paternity to have rights to the child.
How to Terminate Parental Rights
If you’re looking to terminate parental rights in Tampa, FL, you must file a petition with the family court. This petition must include all of the reasons for termination which can include, but are not limited to:
- Abandonment of a child
- Protect the child from threatening activity
- Incarceration
- Abuse or neglect of a child
It should be noted that anyone with physical custody of the child can file this petition.
Once this petition is filed and rights have been terminated, this change is likely to be irrevocable.
When a child is born, the mother has default custody. From there, the child custody rights for each parent can change depending on the relationship between the mother and father. Learn the best next steps for you:
Parental Rights and Adoption in Florida
Upon the final judgment in the adoption process, the adoptive family will permanently assume all parental responsibilities and rights in regards to the child. The birth parents will effectively be terminated.
In Need of a Parental Rights Attorney in Tampa, Florida?
Terminating and obtaining parental rights can be confusing and an experienced parental rights attorney is vital to your case. LaFrance Family Law is here to help with any questions you may have regarding processes relating to parental rights.
LaFrance Law Services
The best thing you can do to protect yourself during a family law case is to work with experienced Tampa family law attorneys. Contact the lawyers at LaFrance Law to schedule an appointment.