[zildjan_man]

Hi there...
I have no idea if anyone can help me here but it's worth a shot. Quick facts:
- Myself, my wife and step son moved to WA 7 years ago from the UK.
- Biological father is still in the UK. My wife and biological father were never married and he moved out 6 days after the birth of their child.
- While we lived in the UK, there was very little contact and NO financial support (despite court intervention).
- Since moving to the states, he probably speaks to his son once a month and still provides NO financial support.

As my step son is 11, I want to start providing some consistency. He asks questions like "Why cant I have the same last name as you and mum" and I think it's really starting to affect him.

I have been told that as I reside in WA, I need to use the WA adoption laws and, unlike Scots Law, WA law gives fathers automatic parental rights. Because of this, i will need to get the biological fathers consent. Which he will not give.

Does anyone have any experience in how the WA system regards parental responsibility and is the fact he has paid no financial support in the 11 years a major factor? ie, can it be used to force a recind of parental rights?

Needless to say we wants whats best for our son and if that means the father stepping up to the plate and actually wanting to see his son then great...But he considers the geographical difference as a major factor and uses it as an excuse. which, in all honesty, is LAME!

Any advice?
Thanks.