Are you currently living in Missouri and having an unplanned pregnancy? If so, you’re likely already considering your options: parenting, adoption, and abortion. If you’re considering adoption in Missouri, you may also wonder what rights the father has.
There are three kinds of birth fathers for pregnant women considering adoption:
- Birth fathers who support adoption
- Birth fathers who don’t support adoption.
- Unknown birth fathers
Pregnancy can occur in a variety of contexts. Some expectant mothers mulling over adoption may already share a loving bond with the birth father, while others may not maintain any relationship with him or feel obliged to co-parent with him. Regardless of the nature of your connection with the child’s birth father, it’s essential to understand his role in the adoption process.
If you’re thinking about adoption and want to know more about birth father’s rights after adoption in Missouri, then you should get more information from an adoption specialist or adoption attorney. This guide is only intended to provide helpful advice and should not be used in place of a licensed legal professional in Missouri for those who wonder what rights a biological father has in and after adoption in Missouri.
Supportive Birth Fathers in Missouri
In Missouri, if birth fathers are supportive of your decision to place your child for adoption, it can simplify the adoption process. From a legal standpoint, having a cooperative birth father—whether he is your spouse or partner—can make the adoption journey less arduous than if he’s unsupportive. However, even in scenarios where the birth father opposes the adoption, it’s worth noting that adoption could still potentially proceed in Missouri.
Unsupportive Birth Fathers in Missouri
If the birth father is unsupportive of your decision to put your child up for adoption, then you might wonder what rights the birth father has after adoption. Because there is a conflict between your wishes and his wishes, you may wonder what rights he has, if any, to prevent you from pursuing adoption.
The rights of birth fathers in adoption situations present a complicated and evolving legal issue. If the biological father of your child doesn’t consent to your adoption decision, connecting with an adoption expert is the best way to obtain trustworthy, current information.
Certain aspects, like the birth father’s financial capability to support your decision, may indicate that adoption remains a viable option for you.
Other Roles of Fathers
In certain situations, a father might not consistently be present in the pregnant woman’s life due to various reasons: relationship instability, absence for diverse circumstances, or even because his identity is unidentified. Regardless of these scenarios, the adoption process can progress smoothly if the father supports the decision. Essentially, endorsement from the father enables you to move forward with the adoption as planned, which usually looks like:
- Reaching out to an adoption specialist
- Develop an adoption and hospital plan
- Select your type of adoption, select an adoptive family
- And plan for life after the birth
If, however, the biological father is unsupportive of your choice of adoption, then you should:
- Reach out to an adoption specialist
- Discuss what kinds of legal support are available to you.
State laws differ, and under changing legal circumstances, seeking advice from a legal professional is recommended. You may be hesitant to disclose your pregnancy to the father due to numerous potential issues—he may be unsupportive and abusive, or you might have concerns about what co-parenting with him could entail. However, given the ever-changing nature of laws, your best course of action is to consult with an adoption specialist to explore your available options.
Even if the father is not supportive, adoption may still be a feasible choice for you. Contact us to get in touch with an adoption specialist for advice on legal matters.
