Utah Supreme Court rejected an unwed father’s appeal to reverse the 2011 adoption of his son on November 4. William Bolden had completed some of the requirements to claim paternity, but did not file a sworn affidavit stating he was able and willing to support his child. The affidavit is just one requirement listed in the Utah Adoption Act for unwed fathers to maintain their parental rights. Bolden is considering an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Earlier this year, Utah Governor, Gary Herbert signed a bill that may require birth mothers to notify the father before placing a child for adoption. The bill also stipulates a birth mother live in Utah for at least 90 days before the child’s birth, thus helping to eliminate adoptions without the birth father’s consent.
Although paternity rights and requirements vary from state to state, generally unwed fathers who do not give consent for the adoption of a child must not only prove paternity but also show a commitment to parenting in order to protect their rights as the child’s parent. This means providing for the child’s needs which typically include maternity and birth expenses.
Because adoption laws vary by state, birth fathers must become informed of the laws in the state where the birth will take place.
Looking for Adoption Resources in UT?
To learn more about adoption in Utah, check out Adoption.com’s Utah Adoption page. There you can learn about how to place a child for adoption, how to adopt, how to access foster care resources, and more. You can also learn more about adoption by city.
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