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TITLE 5. THE PARENT- CHILD RELATIONSHIP AND THE SUIT
AFFECTING THE PARENT- CHILD RELATIONSHIP
SUBTITLE B. SUITS AFFECTING THE PARENT- CHILD
RE LATIONS HI P
CHAPTER 161. TER MI NATI ON OF THE PARENT- CHILD RELATIONSHIP
SUBCHAPTER A. GROUNDS
Sec. 161.001.
inVolunTaRy TeRminaTion of paRenT- Child RelaTionship. . . . . . .743
TeRminaTion of The RighTs of an alleged BiologiCal faTheR. . . .760
inVolunTaRy TeRminaTion: inaBiliTy To CaRe foR Child........762
of pRioR peTiTion To TeRminaTe. ............................764
TeRminaTion When paRenT is peTiTioneR......................765
TeRminaTion afTeR aBoRTion................................767
TeRminaTion When pRegnanCy ResulTs fRom CRiminal aCT.. . . . 767
SUBCHAPTER B. PROCEDURES
Sec. 161.101. peTiTion allegaTions; peTiTion and moTion RequiRemenTs. . . . .768
filing suiT foR TeRminaTion BefoRe BiRTh. ...................768
affidaViT of VolunTaRy RelinquishmenT of paRenTal RighTs. . . . 768
mediCal hisToRy RepoRT. ..................................771
ReVoCaBiliTy of CeRTain affidaViTs. ........................772
CouRT appoinTmenT........................................772
affidaViT of WaiVeR of inTeResT in Child. ...................772
missing paRenT oR RelaTiVe. ...............................773
Release of Child fRom hospiTal oR BiRThing CenTeR. .........773
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RequiRemenT of paTeRniTy RegisTRy CeRTifiCaTe. .............774
SUBCHAPTER C. HEARING AND ORDER
Sec. 161.2011. ConTinuanCe; aCCess To Child..............................774
pRefeRenTial seTTing......................................775
mediCal hisToRy RepoRT. ..................................775
dismissal of peTiTion. .....................................775
TeRminaTion Based on affidaViT of WaiVeR of inTeResT........775
oRdeR denying TeRminaTion................................775
oRdeR TeRminaTing paRenTal RighTs. .......................776
TeRms RegaRding limiTed posT- TeRminaTion ConTaCT..........777
Sec. 161.2062. pRoVision foR limiTed ConTaCT BeTWeen BiologiCal
paRenT and Child. ........................................778
appoinTmenT of managing ConseRVaToR on TeRminaTion. . . . . . .778
seRViCes as managing ConseRVaToR. ........................779
noTiCe of TeRminaTion foR CeRTain RelaTiVes.................780
Copy of oRdeR of TeRminaTion..............................780
sealing of file............................................780
diReCT oR CollaTeRal aTTaCK on TeRminaTion oRdeR..........780
SUBCHAPTER D. R EINSTATEMENT OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AFTER
INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION
Sec. 161.301.
definiTions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 783
peTiTion..................................................783
heaRing..................................................784
oRdeRs...................................................785
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The Parent- Child Relationship Sec. 161.001.
SUBCHAPTER A. GROUNDS
Sec. 161.001. involuntary termination of Parent- Chil d relationshiP.
(a) In t his section, "born addicted to alcohol or a controlled subst ance" means a child:
(1) who is born to a mother who dur ing the pregnancy used a c ontrolled substance, as de-
ned by Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, other th an a controlled substance legally
obtained by prescript ion, or alcohol; and
(2) who, after bir th as a result of the mother's use of the controlled substance or alcohol:
(A) experiences obser vable withd rawal from the alcohol or controlled substance;
(B) exhibits obse rvable or harmful effects in t he child's physical appe arance or func-
tioning; or
(C) exhibits the demonstrable presen ce of a lcohol or a controlled substance in the
child's bodily uids.
(b) The court may order ter mination of the parent- child relationship if the cour t nds by clear and
convincing evidence:
(1) that the pare nt has:
(A) voluntarily left the child alone or in the possession of another not t he parent and
expressed an intent not to ret urn;
(B) voluntari ly left the child alone or in the possession of another not the parent with-
out expressing a n intent to retur n, without providing for the adequate support of
the child, and remai ned away for a period of at least t hree months;
(C) voluntari ly left the child alone or i n the possession of another without provid-
ing adequ ate support of the child and remai ned away for a per iod of at least six
months;
(D) knowingly placed or knowi ngly allowed the child to remain in conditions or s ur-
roundings which endange r the physical or emotiona l well- being of the child;
(E) engaged in c onduct or knowingly placed the child with p ersons who engaged in
conduct which endangers the physical or emotiona l well- being of the child;
(F) failed to support the child in accordance with the parent's ability during a period
of one year ending within si x months of the d ate of the ling of the petition;
(G) abandoned the child without identifyi ng the child or fu rnishing means of identi-
cation, and the child's identity cannot be ascertai ned by the exercise of reasonable
dilig ence;
(H) voluntarily, and with knowledge of t he pregnancy, abandoned t he mother of the
child beginni ng at a time during her preg nancy with the child and conti nuing
through the birth, failed to provide adequate support or medical care for the
mother du ring the period of aband onment before the birth of the child, and re-
mained apart f rom the child or failed to support the child since the bi rth;
(I) contumaciously refuse d to submit to a reasonable and lawful order of a cour t un-
der Subchapter D, Chapter 261;
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