Teenage son wants more control over visitation

[armywife]

Bio Dad lives in Texas and court order from Texas
Bio Mom lives in Arizona

Dad is custodial parent.  14 year old son just had a conversation on the phone with bio Mom regarding relinquishing her parental rights.  

She wants child support and arrears to be done away with.  Son likes the idea because he feels this would give him more control regarding visitation with her.  (Visitations have not been good, and son is put on major guilt trips when he wants to cut visitations short)

Bio Dad is remarried and is able to provide for son without receiving the child support.  Son is very close to Stepmom.  

Questions:

1.  Would a judge even go for this?

2.  I suppose an attorney would be needed and would be rather costly????

[socrateaser]

>Questions:
>
>1.  Would a judge even go for this?

The court is unlikely to terminate parental rights unless (1) the parent being terminated is a danger to the child (record of violent criminal behavior), or (2) someone else is willing to step into the terminated parent's shoes and become legally responsible (i.e., adoption).

>2.  I suppose an attorney would be needed and would be rather
>costly????

Not necessarily costly, if both parents want the termination. But, perhaps a waste of money, because the court may have no incentive to order it, unless someone else is willing to adopt the child.

The mere possibility of support is better than no possibilty at all, unless there is some other mitigating factor.

A local attorney with experience in this sort of proceeding may be able to give you a better idea of your chances in your county court. It will greatly depend on the judge's discretion.