In re Adoption of H.N.R.

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Appellant challenged the aspect of Ohio’s Putative Father Registry (OPFR) that limits the time frame during which a man can register as a putative father in order to gain a right to receive notice of any subsequent adoption proceedings involving the man’s putative child. The deadline, in the version of the law that applied to Appellant, is thirty days after the child’s birth, but has since been reduced by the Legislature to fifteen days. In his complaint, Appellant contended that the deadline is unconstitutional as applied to the putative fathers of children who are relinquished for adoption more than thirty days after birth. Specifically, Appellant argued that putative fathers have a due process right to register with the OPFR at any point prior to the initiation of a child’s adoption proceedings. The trial court denied all relief requested by Appellant. The court of appeals affirmed. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that because Appellant failed to take sufficient action to protect his legal rights or to support his constitutional challenge, he was not able to demonstrate that he was injured by the application of the statutory putative-father-registration deadline. View "In re Adoption of H.N.R." on Justia Law