ABA Family Legal Guide

Family Law

Children

Rights and Responsibilities of Parents

Can parental rights be terminated?

A parent's rights can be terminated if a parent is unfit or has abused or abandoned the child. For example, in In re S.R. (Illinois Appellate Court, 2001), a father was in prison. The court said the man "could be a good father at times," but the court also said that the father had not seen his children for approximately two years, and the record did not indicate the father requested visitation while in prison. During the father's brief period of liberty, he did not provide financial support to the children, and he was unable to rear the minors due to alcohol, drug, and family problems. The court terminated the father's parental rights.