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What if I don’t know the father, or don’t know where he is?

If the father of the child is unknown or unable to be contacted directly, the state requires diligent efforts to locate him so that he can be notified of the hearing. We can help with this. If he cannot be found, notice is given by publishing a legal notice after the baby is born in a newspaper in which the birth father is most likely to see it. This notice is to advise the father of the upcoming hearing but does not identify you or your child. If no father comes forward, the judge may terminate his parental rights.