Real romance novel covers, but with fake titles:

Heh. Someone's posted those before, but they were also in Cleolinda's latest linkspam. Very amusing.

Cindy, the case of Baby Jessica is an example of that. The mother lied on the child's birth certificate about the father, gave the child up for adoption and had her parental rights severed. When she decided she wanted the baby back from the couple in Michigan who had adopted her, she went to the child's real father and they sued for custody in HIS name, owing to the fact that he had never surrendered his parental rights.

They won the case and the child (then three years old after all the legal wrangling) was taken from Michigan and returned to her natural parents in Iowa.

A horrible, nasty case for adoption law all around.

Is there any mechanism by which only one of the biological parent can give up his rights, in the absence of another adult seeking to adopt the child and fill the parental role?

Oddly, I once sat in on a hearing where something like that came up.

Couple was divorcing, young child (1-2 years old?) involved. Husband/father (not represented by counsel, BTW) didn't want to pay child support, offered to give up all parental rights. Judge didn't go for it, child support was ordered.

So, at least in the late '80s in WI in a divorce/child support context, the answer is no.

The Manolo, he is in the funnies

Tee hee!

Overall, legislatures and courts will require that the parents provide financial support for their child, if they are able to do so. So, the unwitting Sperm Donator is liable for the child even if he didn't want to have one and didn't think that the sex act would result in his partner becoming pregnant. (And suddenly, I'm thinking about "Deep Throat" for some reason.)

Can the father give up his parental "rights"? Yes, but that may not relieve him of his obligations to financially support his child. He may be relieved of those obligations if there is another able to take over -- either the mother or another person. What the government does not want is the child having to rely upon the support of the state when there is a financially capable parent out there.

Cindy, my BiL got sued for back support for a 15 year old child he didn't really know he had. The mother never approached him for support. It wasn't until she was ill and had to go on welfare that the state of Ohio went after him for supporting the girl.

It was very weird. The mother knew where he was the whole time but never reached out to tell him he had a daughter. That didn't free him up from the responsiblity of back support though.

"when plaintiff 'delivered' his sperm, it was a gift.... There was no agreement that the original deposit would be returned upon request."

Isn't that technically a gift with purchase?

It sometimes happens after it rains heavily, though that stink tends towards wet dog more than rotting meat. Gack.

Have you looked around for any elk carcasses, sara, 'cause that would explain both types of stink.

Isn't that technically a gift with purchase?

Only if he was a prostitute, I think.

It would have to be a 8 year old carcass.

GRRR. I don't care if it's not me you're pissed at, I don't care if you're in a panic, I don't care if you're way way higher up in the company than me. Do not fucking ASSCAP me in the morning, ok?