M.D.C. v. K.D.

The law of Alabama has always understood a termination of parental rights to be a termination of the parental relationship, or the parental status. In this regard, Alabama law has been, and is, no different than the law of other jurisdictions, particularly where a statute does not specifically state otherwise. “[T]he great majority of jurisdictions ... agree that judicial termination of parental rights severs the parent-child relationship to the extent that the parent no longer owes a duty to support the child.” State Dep’t of Human Servs. ex rel. Overstreet v. Overstreet, 78 P.3d 951, 954…