FATHER RIGHTS

Father's rights are close to my heart. In the sense that my own father called back on numerous occasions to adopt me. I believe in his right to know me now. It is my choice not hers to allow this. Her decision affects five people. My father, his daughter, her sons, and I are all affected by her decision. Since the records were read to me, I have some first hand knowledge that my birth mother did in fact try to manipulate him into leaving his wife. She then turn around gave me to strangers. I believe she used me to get back at him. Even though my mom feels selfish in the fact that she and my family benefitted from that situation, she also acknowledges my birth mother's continuence in her selfishness is just plain wrong. I know that she welcomes the possible entrance of my first family. So she is not completely selfish. I understand her feelings on this. I don't condemn her for that selfishness. To me, it really isn't selfishness. Its just her love for me. I hope in time that my birth mother realizes this.

Teen dad stakes claim to son he's never seen
By GRACIE BONDS STAPLES
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 11/15/06

Rashad Head wants to be a father to his infant son.He knows that might not happen, but no one will ever be able to say that he didn't try. The 17-year-old has done everything he was legally required to do. He registered as the baby's father with the state Department of Human Resources, which entitles him to a notice of adoption proceeding. He enlisted an attorney, and five days after Rashad's son was born on July 15, he filed a petition claiming him as his own.And yet Rashad has never seen his son. Despite his efforts and those of his parents, Geoff and Pam Head of Lawrenceville, Rashad's son, has been placed for adoption out of state.They don't know what'll become of Rashad's son, but the Heads are determined to see a law enacted to ensure what has happened to them won't happen again.They want to create Rashad's Law.This morning at the Capitol, state Rep. Ron Sailor, the son of the Heads' pastor, will announce his plan to introduce a bill to accomplish that."We want to make sure that if a mother voluntarily relinquishes her rights," Sailor said in an interview, "the father automatically has the next opportunity to assume responsibility for a child."The father of the baby's mother — Rashad's former girlfriend — referred inquiries to their attorney."I can't respond," said Ruth Clairborne, who represents the baby's mother and her family.Just days after Rashad's ex-girlfriend gave birth, the Heads say an adoption agency called Rashad's father, Geoff Head, requesting consent to let his grandson be adopted.Geoff Head refused.He believes in being responsible, in taking care of his own.That's what he's tried to do. It's what he's taught his son to do.From the moment Rashad learned his girlfriend was pregnant, he has stood by her. When they told their parents, the Heads supported Rashad."What we did was a mistake, but I don't look at my son as a mistake," Rashad said. "I don't ever want him to feel he doesn't have a real place in this world."Rashad Head is junior at Collins Hill High School in Suwanee. He's a good student, a football cornerback and wide receiver for the Collins Hill Eagles.He met the mother of his son at school. They dated for almost two years. Their parents were friends.Last November, she discovered she was pregnant.In December, they exchanged promise rings.In May, the two of them broke the news about the pregnancy to their parents.Shortly thereafter, Rashad and his mother, Pam Head, met with the pregnant teen and her mother. The teen and her mother wanted to place the baby for adoption.The Heads, though, maintained hope.They turned a guest bedroom into a nursery. Rashad assembled the crib he had purchased, then headed to football camp.When Rashad returned, his son was gone, and his ex-girlfriend's family refused to talk to him. Not only does he not know where his son is, the courts have rejected his attempts to find out.His attorney, Leslie Gresham has taken the case pro bono.Gresham said women have long had the right to get an abortion or to have and raise a child without informing the father. But when mothers choose adoption, courts have increasingly recognized fathers' rights.Once a father's paternity is established, "it's not a question of whether he can provide for the baby better than the adoptive parents," said Lynn M. Swank, a Jonesboro-based adoption expert and a member of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. "It's a legal question first of biology, and second they would have to prove him unfit. That's been the law in this state since ... 1976."Swank said that even if the father hasn't registered with the state, and even if he is unknown, biological fathers are entitled to the same due process as any other individual whose life and liberty are being taken by the government."If we were talking about an emergency custody issue between two parents divorcing,'' she said, "the court would hold an emergency hearing."In this case, because the adoptive parents have the child, the court is infringing on this young man's status by not allowing him to assert his claim," Swank said.

This has been the activity on the case. There has not been any reports in the news about further information.

07/20/2006 - DOMESTIC RELATIONS CAS FILE INF FR Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

07/20/2006 - MOTION FOR APPOINTMENT OF PROCESS Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

07/20/2006 - AFFIDAVIT Description: DAVID L WEAVER Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

07/20/2006 - ORDER APPOINTING PROCESS SERVER

07/24/2006 - AFFIDAVIT Description: DAVID L WEAVER Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

07/26/2006 - RULE NISI

08/09/2006 - CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE OF DISCOVRY Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

08/11/2006 - ANSWER Description: XXXXXXX Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR DEFENDANT

08/14/2006 - MOTION TO INTERVENE Filed By: ATTORNEY

08/14/2006 - ANSWER Description: FOR INTEVENERS Filed By: ATTORNEY

08/28/2006 - CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE OF DISCOVRY Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR DEFENDANT

08/28/2006 - NOTICE TO TAKE DEPOSITION Description: XXXXX Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

08/30/2006 - ATTORNEY NOTICE OF LEAVE ABSENCE Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

08/31/2006 - RULE NISI

09/01/2006 - ATTORNEY NOTICE OF LEAVE ABSENCE Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR DEFENDANT

09/01/2006 - CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE OF DISCOVRY Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

09/01/2006 - CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

09/13/2006 - ORDER GRANTING MOTION Description: TO INTERVENE

09/25/2006 - CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE OF DISCOVRY Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

10/04/2006 - CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE OF DISCOVRY Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

10/05/2006 - MOTION Description: AND INTEVENERS MTN TO QUASH NOTICES OF DEPOSITION Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR DEFENDANT

10/09/2006 - ATTORNEY NOTICE OF LEAVE ABSENCE Description: AMENDED Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR INTERVENOR

10/10/2006 - RULE NISI

10/26/2006 - NOTICE OF ATTORNEY ADDRESS CHANGE Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

11/01/2006 - MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

11/06/2006 - UNSCHEDULED DOCUMENT Description: PETITION FOR WRIT HABEA CORPUS Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

11/06/2006 - MOTION TO COMPEL Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

11/08/2006 - MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT Description: AMENDED Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

12/05/2006 - MOTION Description: JOINT (ATTY DEF) TO DISMISS FOR LACK OF STANDING-ATTY FEES Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR INTERVENOR

12/05/2006 - ANSWER Description: JOINT (ATTY DEF) TO PETITION FOR WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR INTERVENOR

12/05/2006 - RESPONSE TO MOTION Description: JOINT (ATTY DEF) TO COMPEL Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR INTERVENOR

12/05/2006 - STATEMENT OF MATERIAL FACTS Description: JOINT (ATTY DEF) Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR INTERVENOR

12/05/2006 - MOTION Description: JOINT (ATTY DEF) TO COMPEL AND FOR ATTY FEES Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR INTERVENOR

12/05/2006 - BRIEF Description: JOINT (ATTY DEF) Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR INTERVENOR

12/05/2006 - CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE OF DISCOVRY Description: JOINT (DEF ATTY) Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR INTERVENOR

12/05/2006 - NOTICE OF FILING DISCOVERY Description: JOINT (ATTY DEF) ORIGINAL DEPOSITION Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR INTERVENOR

12/05/2006 - DEPOSITION Description: GEOFFREY RASHAD HEAD Filed By: ATTORNEY FOR INTERVENOR

12/06/2006 - RULE NISI

12/06/2006 - UNSCHEDULED DOCUMENT Description: NOTICE OF HEARING

12/06/2006 - UNSCHEDULED DOCUMENT Description: NOTICE OF HEARING

12/06/2006 - UNSCHEDULED DOCUMENT Description: NOTICE OF HEARING