What is abandonment?

(of child) A person who has not received any support from or has not been contacted by a parent for a certain period of time. Under these circumstances, the judge can take parental rights away from the parent.  Parents can also physically abandon their children (e.g., leaving a new-born in a dumpster).  This is a sad situation, but it happens much too often in the world.

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A parent's failure to provide any financial assistance to or communicate with his or her child over a period of time. When this happens, a court may deem the child abandoned by that parent and order that person's parental rights terminated. Abandonment also describes situations in which a child is physically abandoned -- for example, left on a doorstep, delivered to a hospital or put in a trash can. Physically abandoned children are usually placed in orphanages and made available for adoption.

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A situation in which the owner of a trademark or service mark does not use the mark for an extended period of time, fails to protest the unauthorized use of the mark by others or lets others use the mark without adequate supervision. If a trademark is abandoned, the owner loses her exclusive rights to the mark.

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When a parent leaves a child without enough care, supervision, support, or parental contact for an excessive period of time.