The parental rights of fathers just got a boost in Florida with a decision from the Florida Supreme Court ruling that adoption agencies must notify unmarried men when a child thought to be theirs is placed for adoption. They must then instruct him in how sign on to a registry to maintain his parental rights to the child.

If after being informed, the father does not register within thirty days, his rights may be terminated.

This follows a case where a possible father ... paternity has not yet been established in this case ... had apparently voiced a desire to parent, but was not aware of the putative father registry in the state.

In other adoption-related legal news, the attorney for Jerry and Louise Baker ... foster parents to Anna Mae He, the girl over whom a custody battle has raged between the Bakers and Anna's parents, Chinese nationals who say placing their daughter was meant to be a temporary situation ... has issued a statement on behalf of the couple saying that the Bakers will "... terminate all further legal proceedings to rescue Anna from what the State of Tennessee is and intends to do to Anna."

And from Colorado, an alleged case of baby selling that hit national headlines at the beginning of the year, "... whimpered to a close on Monday, when three natives of Mexico pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges and were sentenced to probation."

Felony charges of attempted child trafficking, child trafficking and conspiracy to commit forgery were all dropped and the defendants ended up pleading guilty to the misdemeanor charge of "offering a false instrument for recording".

Claims that national media feeding a frenzy pushed this case into existence and kept a person in jail over what amounted to a misdemeanor charge abound.

A not-very-nice story about some not-very-nice people, nonetheless, and the child remains in the custody of the Pueblo County Department of Social Services.

For a look at how this story was covered at the time it broke in February here's a link to the CNN transcript of Nancy Grace talking about it. You have to wade through the Anna Nicole Smith intro to the story, however, and it's an unpleasant stroll down memory gutter.