Frequently Asked
The birth mother says she has lost all contact with the birth father. How can this be verified?
All birth mothers who state that they no longer know the whereabouts of the birth father must sign and swear to a document that sets out all the information she does know about the birth father. This includes his last known address, his former employer, schools attended and such.
With this information, Adoption Angels, Inc. attempts to locate the birth father to notify him of the pending adoption and of his legal rights.
How do you notify the birth father of the adoption or his legal rights if he is no where to be found?
Texas statutes mandate that the birth father be given notice of intent to terminate his parental rights. For the absent or unknown birth father this is done by a process called notice of citation by publication. Simply stated, this means that the required notice is given to the birth father by publishing a legal notice in a local newspaper.
I have been matched with a baby whose birth father is unknown. How is he given notice of his legal rights?
Essentially the same way. The unknown birth father is given notice by notice of citation by publication.
How long does the birth father have to assert his legal rights?
The birth father has until Monday after the expiration of twenty days from the time the notice appears in the newspaper to assert his parental rights.
The birth parents of the baby we have been matched with are very supportive of the adoption. Do they still have to be given notice of their legal rights?
Yes, the birth parents are required to sign legal documents that state they are voluntarily and knowingly giving up all their rights and obligations toward the baby.
The birth mother cannot sign her legal documents until 48 hours after giving birth and the birth father can sign anytime...before or after the birth.
What if either one changes their mind?
The documents the birth parents sign are irrevocable immediately after signing. The documents are witnessed by two individuals and notarized by a third.