Deadbeat parent

This is a pejorative term referring to parents of any gender who do not fulfill their parental responsibilities, especially when they evade court-ordered child support obligations or custody arrangements.

It is not always the fault of the “deadbeat parent” that he or she has not fulfilled parental responsibilities. Sometimes the parent is unaware of the child’s location; sometimes the parent is unable to work and timely pay child support. Being a nonparticipating parent happens. Sometimes a person is just not cut out to be a parent.

Do you wish to voluntarily terminate your parental rights?

It is possible to voluntarily terminate your parental rights by consenting to an adoption. The active parent does not have to be remarried for an adoption to take place. Indiana laws allows any person who has been participating the child’s life to adopt the child. This can be a grandparent, brother, sister, boyfriend/girlfriend or an unrelated person. Consequently, the resulting termination of your parental rights will terminate any obligation for ongoing child support. However, this also terminates any parenting time and/or visitation; absent any post adoption visitation agreement.

Do you wish to terminate the parental rights of a deadbeat parent?

Pursuant to Indiana law, it is possible to adopt a child without the consent of an uninvolved parent or non supporting parent (deadbeat parent), while the active parent maintains their parental rights. The adopting person has to be an active participant in the child’s life but does not have to be married to the active parent. Furthermore, the adopting person does not even have to live in the same household as the child. The adopting parent can be a grandparent, brother, sister, boyfriend/girlfriend or an unrelated person who is actively involved in the child’s life. This kind of adoptions is also called “second parent” or “other parent” adoption. To find out more about this kind of adoption, please contact us at 812-336-8300.