Sterling McG. v. Paul M.

The central question in this case is whether an unwed father has a right to withhold his consent to the biological mother’s decision to give up their child for adoption by a third party. We conclude the trial court properly found the father had not met the requirements of Adoption of Kelsey S. (1992) 1 Cal.4th 816 [ 4 Cal.Rptr.2d 615 , 823 P.2d 1216 ] (Kelsey S.), as further explained in Adoption of Michael H. (1995) 10 Cal.4th 1043 [ 43 Cal.Rptr.2d 445 , 898 P.2d 891 ] (Michael H.), i.e., he did not “show[] that he promptly came forward and demonstrated as full a commitment to his parental responsibilities as the biological mother allowed and the circumstances permitted within a short time after he learned or reasonably should have *708 learned that the biological mother was pregnant with his child.” (Id. at p. 1060.) Consequently, the father has no protected right allowing him to stand in the way of the child’s adoption. We affirm the order dispensing with the need for father’s consent, terminating his parental rights and responsibilities with respect to the child, and allowing the adoption to go forward.

FACTS

We recite the evidence in the. light most favorable to…