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Apparently American agencies, social workers and attorneys are not the only ones who are stomping all over father’s rights. In this story out of New Zealand, we can see how the unethical practices of adoption aren’t unique to our country. The problem is world wide and, really, that’s scary.
However, the silver lining to this story is two-fold: the child was returned to his father after he started a legal battle and the attorney who advised the mother that she didn’t need the father’s permission to relinquish her child has been placed on a three year suspension.
I’m pretty impressed with the three year suspension, though there is a part of me that thinks such a grievous mistake warrants a disbarring. Yet any step in an ethical direction is one that I support.
I wonder what would happen if American attorneys, social workers, facilitators and agencies were held to that same ethical standard. I know of quite a few cases where mothers were encouraged to lie about paternity in order to get past the father’s rights. Those cases are so heartbreaking for the father and the child who is frequently held in limbo due to an agency or attorney who wanted to ensure they were making a few quick bucks instead of going through the proper procedures. What if an attorney responsible for such a thing wasn’t able to work for three years? Wouldn’t that threat of a lack of income for such a long time make people want to work in an ethical manner? What if an entire agency had to shut its doors for three years? Not only would they be out money but so would the families associated with the agency and I bet a lawsuit or two would come out of that, further driving an agency into the ground.
While it saddens me that unethical things are happening all over the world, I have hope that one day our judicial system will wake up and start holding these people and corporations to an ethical standard within our own country. Until then, families harmed by unethical practices will continue to suffer without hope for justice. Sadly, while it is hard on the parents involved in such situations, it is the children who suffer the most. Quite frankly, if I was an attorney, the thought of a child hanging out in limbo while a legal battle is fought would be enough to make me act in an ethical manner. Then again, I’m not gung-ho about the “mighty dollar.” People mean more to me than a buck.
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For more on ethics, read these posts.
