I signed a consent custody order agreeing to weekend supervised visits with my son. The order allows his mother to decide who supervises, and although I have been available for every visit (over a year in effect now) about half the time she has changed her mind about supervisors, or decided that she doesn’t have time to bring my son to the visit, so about half of the visits haven’t occurred. Child support has been paid in full on time consistently, and I’ve frequently provided clothes, toys, birthday & christmas presents, etc.
Now she’s remarried, and her new husband has informed me that they’re beginning the process to have him adopt my son and that he expects to make decisions about my presence in my son’s life. I would prefer that we attend mediation, and to modify the custody agreement to allow unsupervised overnights. They prefer termination of my rights, however.
My son is four and prior to our separation I was a stay at home dad, he still calls me daddy and enjoys our time together. I want to be more involved in his life and would like nothing better than an opportunity to sit down and discuss our goals for him as parents. I want to be involved with his life, his school, and in short, I want to be his father.
Do I have the right to consent or block the adoption process? How does it relate to termination of my parental rights? As I understand, there are no grounds for termination, except that the new husband prefers to be the father and wants me gone.