In re the Adoption of a Child by R.K.

HUNTER, J.S.C.

This is a contested stepfather adoption of a six-year-old child. The stepfather argues that since the natural father has substantially failed to perform the regular and expected parental functions of care and support of the child, though able to do so, his parental rights should be terminated, and the adoption allowed to go forward over the natural father’s objections. The natural father argues that the natural mother prevented him from fulfilling his parental obligations.

I

J.S., the father of the child, and M.S., the mother of the child, met in Florida. Their relationship…