What rights does a birthfather have?

Fathers of children being placed for adoption have many of the same rights as the mothers.

If the father is known to the mother, attempts are made to notify him (as prescribed by law) and, if notification is successful, he must be given the opportunity to consent to the placement.

If the mother does not name the father and he appears later on, he may have legal grounds to contest, stop, or reverse an adoption, depending on whether or not all legalities have been observed.

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Many states have established Putative Father Registries for men (who may not know for certain whether they are fathers) to provide their contact information and indicate their desire to be notified if/when an adoption placement is considered for the child.