Legal Definitions - birth parent

Definition: A birth parent is either the biological father or mother who gives birth to a child. The term can also include adoptive parents, putative blood parents who have acknowledged paternity, and individuals or agencies who have been established as guardians by a court. Parental status can be terminated by a court order.

Examples:

• John and Mary adopted a baby girl, but they made sure that the birth parents were involved in the child's life.
• After the divorce, the court awarded physical custody of the children to the birth mother, but the birth father was granted visitation rights.
• When the child was born, the birth mother decided to give up her parental rights and allow the adoptive parents to raise the child.

Explanation: The examples illustrate different scenarios where the term "birth parent" can be used. In the first example, John and Mary are the adoptive parents, but the birth parents are still considered birth parents because they are the biological parents of the child. In the second example, the court distinguishes between the birth mother and the birth father, who is a noncustodial parent. In the third example, the birth mother voluntarily relinquishes her parental rights, making the adoptive parents the legal parents of the child.