Rosendall v. Ahmed

Tahir Ahmed appeals from a decree by which appellant’s two natural sons were adopted by Paul Alan Rosendall, the boys’ stepfather. The decree was granted despite appellant’s opposition, the court having determined that appellant’s consent was not required by reason of his failure to contribute to his sons’ support for more than one year.

Appellant was divorced from the mother of the children in 1965, by a decree which awarded custody to the mother and directed appellant to pay a total of $150 per month child support. Appellant visited the boys from time to time as he was entitled to do under the decree, but these contacts were tense and infrequent and further visitation was finálly refused by the boys.

On April 22, 1971, appellant wrote to the boys’ mother stating, “I will not bother you with my visitation any more. If my boys ever grew up and wants to see me, I will visit them or they can come and visit me.” With that letter appellant sent $30. In fact, he did thereafter visit sporadically until the boys refused further contact. Between July 31, 1971, and the filing of the petition for adoption on November 10, 1972, appellant made no contributions toward the support of…