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Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: Children with a parent who abandoned them, should be able to sue that parent for money / property in the courts

 

Fathers or mothers who abandon their children should be open to being sued by the children they abandoned or the remaining parent.

I'm not talking about, for instance, an absent father who is absent through no fault of his own or because of mental illness or some excusable reason.

I'm talking about parents who have children then don't want to look after them, who give up, walk out, just disappear. Parents who can't be bothered.

The law should allow the remaining family, including their children, to pursue them for money or for some other sanction in the courts.

As far as I am aware, the law does not allow for this.

NOTE - Child support / maintenance is different - I believe only the remaining parent / mother / guardian has a right to pursue the absent parent if SHE/they choose to pursue them for parents through the relevant state agency. That's not what I'm talking about. I believe children who are abandoned should be able to sue for access to property and assets and cash essentially, no matter the status of child support / maintenence paymentys.

E.g. father abandons the family, mother does not choose to chase father for child support paymetns through the relevant government agency, the children (when adults) should be able to sue that father who abandoned them for money / property etc.

I do not understand why the law lets them away with it, imo.

CMW reddit.
gpt
Well, you have a compelling argument. But you listed mental illness as an excuse and that is a tough road there.

Many people are mentally ill but refuse to acknowledge it out of fear, and self-medicate with alcohol or drugs. So this would end up punishing the un-diagnosed, who are likely doing better than those who are diagnosed and in treatment.