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Notice to Putative Fathers
Definition: A "putative father" is a man who may be a child's father, but who is not married to the child's mother on or before the date that the child is born, or who has not established paternity of the child in a court proceeding before the filing of an adoption petition for the child.
Purpose: A putative father registry has been established to determine the identity and location of an undisclosed putative father who may have conceived a child for whom an adoption petition has been or may be filed in order to provide notice of the adoption to the putative father.
Forms: Forms may be obtained from the Clerk of the Circuit Court in each county in Indiana, from the Indiana State Department of Health-Adoption History Program, or from the local health department's Vital Records Division in each county in Indiana.
Where to register:
Putative Father Registry
Indiana State Department of Health
PO Box 7125
Indianapolis, IN 46206-7125
FAX: 317-383-6210
Requirement: A putative father whose identity is not disclosed by the child's mother to an attorney or agency arranging the adoption, must register to be entitled to receive notice of the child's adoption.
When to register: Registration may occur thirty (30) days after the child's birth or up to the date of the filing of a petition for the child's adoption whichever occurs later.
Consequences: The putative father loses the right to contest the adoption if he does not register and his parental rights will be terminated.
Questions: Consult an attorney if you have any questions about your rights as a putative father.
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