LawInfo

Can the state terminate a mother’s and father’s rights over their children?

Yes.  Every state has an agency that protects the interests of children.  That agency may ask the court to terminate parental rights.  Usually, the state must show that the parent is unfit and that severing the relationship is in the best interests of the child.  To be found “unfit” the state usually must show that the child is in danger of suffering from some form of abuse, the parent is unable to care for the child (usually because of mental capacity or drug addiction) or the child has been abandoned by the parent.

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