Does Utah violate the rights of unwed fathers?

Submitted by Matt on Sat, 2015-11-21 20:36

Article here. Excerpt:

'At dinner in his New Mexico home, Rob Manzanares looked every bit the quintessential dad, bantering with the three children he’s raising with his fiancée. But there’s an empty seat at the table that he’s been fighting to fill for six years.

“It's state-sanctioned kidnapping,” he said. “It’s stealing of children.”

Manzanares fathered a daughter in 2008 and claims his then-girlfriend gave her up for adoption in Utah without his knowledge or consent. He’s been waging a legal battle to get full custody of the girl ever since.

In Utah, unwed biological fathers have few paternal rights. To have any say in an adoption, they must satisfy complicated criteria within 30 days of a mother’s decision to give up the child. These requirements include signing a biological father registry in Utah, showing evidence of financial and material prenatal support to the expectant mothe,r and a detailed plan for supporting both the mother and child after the birth.'

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A while ago, I read an article about what man would have to do to comply with putative father registries in every state for every sexual encounter if he ever wanted to be informed of any adoption of any potential children. I think I saw it on Reddit. Now I cant find it. If anyone comes across this narrative about all the crazy bureaucracy, please post the link.

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Submitted by Kris on Sat, 2015-11-21 20:54

found it. it is a little outdated, but still shows the lunacy.
http://www.adoptionbirthmothers.com/erik-smiths-ohio-putative-father-registry/

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Submitted by Kris on Sat, 2015-11-21 21:23

The OP is from last year. The most current article on the case I could find is this: http://www.9news.com/story/life/moms/2015/08/27/rob-manzanares-custody-case/32468187/

According to this article the father won custody, but it did say the adoptive parents could appeal. Hopefully they didn't

It is very sad what goes on in Utah adoptions. The recorded phone calls mentioned in the OP are upsetting.

I am very much an advocate for adoption reform in regards to father's rights. It should be a crime to not inform a father of birth and adoption and to be dishonest about paternity. Adoption agencies should have more regulations and stiff fines if they do not comply. Putative father registries are a joke. Maybe they could be helpful if they were national and used as one of many tools to help fathers, instead of used to steal children from willing fathers.

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Submitted by Kris on Sat, 2015-11-21 22:03