In re Adoption of Liam O.
Annotate this CaseMother, who had been awarded sole parental rights and the right to provide Child’s primary residence, petitioned to adopt Child and to terminate the parental rights of Father. After a final hearing, the probate court denied Mother’s petitions. Although the court found that Father had abandoned Child, it concluded that Mother had not proved that it was in Child’s best interest to terminate Father’s parental rights because Mother, who was receiving state benefits, had insufficient funds to provide for Child, and Child would benefit from support payments from Father. The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment, holding that the probate court erred in considering the State’s financial interest as a factor in its determination of Child’s best interest.
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