M.L. v. Department of Children & Families

We affirm the denial of M.L.’s motion to intervene in the mother’s termination of parental rights proceeding. We write to explain that while a biological father who is a stranger to an existing marriage into which a child is born is not wholly without rights, he must demonstrate an enduring commitment to being a full-time parent, and do so expeditiously, in order to avail himself of those rights. Where he fails to act with such expediency, and displays only a casual interest in fatherhood, a trial court does not abuse its discretion by denying a potential biological father’s motion to…