Terminations and Adoptions
The Texas Family Code clearly spells out the ways in which parental rights, privileges and duties may be forfeited by the act of the parent, giving rise to a court action for termination of parent’s rights. While most termination cases are brought by the State of Texas through Child Protective Services, such suits may also be brought by private individuals. If the parent has engaged in drug use, abuse, abandonment, or other actions or omissions by a parent that “endangers the physical or emotional development of a child”, and if termination is in the child’s best interest, a court or jury may terminate a parent’s rights.