“I have a 6 year old daughter who I have kept from her biological father for over 3 years, due to concerns for her safety. He is a level 3 registered sex offender in another state with an incest conviction involving his sister. Lately he has sent cards stating he wants to come out to see her. The thought of this has caused her to have horrid nightmares. Do I have grounds to severe his paternal rights, change her last name from his to mine, and put a restraining order in place?”

It’s impossible to say both because the laws vary so widely from state to state, and because each case is so fact specific. Terminating a parent’s rights completely is very difficult to do, and usually only done under the most extreme of cases, but you should probably be able to get a restraining order at the very least.

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State laws vary, and the above is intended as general advice, and not direct legal advice regarding any one particular situation in any one state. For direct personal legal advice related to your own situation you should consult an attorney familiar with the laws of your state and with your situation.