Reinstatement of Parental Rights After Termination

Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last updated November 13, 2018

Depending on where you live, you may be able to have your parental rights reinstated after they have been terminated by a court. While all states have provisions in the law for the termination of parental rights, most states do not allow for the reinstatement of these rights. But even in states that allow reinstatement, parents must be able to show an extraordinary improvement in their ability to properly care for a child before a court will grant such a request.

This article focuses on the reinstatement of parental rights after termination, including a discussion about the differences in state laws.

Termination and Reinstatement of Parental Rights

When a court orders the termination of parental rights, the legal relationship between a parent and child ceases to exist. It is very rare and only occurs in especially serious cases, such as those involving child abuse or severe child neglect. And even though a parent may petition the court to voluntarily give up his or her parental rights, the main consideration is always the child's best interests.

Laws allowing reinstatement were drafted generally in response to older children who were aging out of foster care and wanted to re-establish family ties.

Since this process is handled in state courts, the laws and procedures vary from one state to the next. At least nine states have laws allowing for reinstatement following termination of parental rights, including California, Illinois, North Carolina, and New York). Usually, reinstatement is available only on the condition that the child has not been permanently placed with a foster home within a given period of time.

In states where this is available, a parent must file a petition with the court that originally terminated his or her parental rights. The court will determine whether the parent is fit to provide a safe and nurturing home for the child.

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