North Dakota Century Code Title 14. Domestic Relations and Persons § 14-15-06. Individuals as to whom consent not required--Notice of hearing

a. A parent who has deserted a child without affording means of identification or who has abandoned a child.

b. A parent of a child in the custody of another, if the parent for a period of at least one year has failed significantly without justifiable cause:

c. The father of a minor if the father's consent is not required by subdivision b of subsection 1 of section 14-15-05.

d. A parent who has relinquished that parent's right to consent under section 14-15-19.

e. A parent whose parental rights have been terminated by order of court under section 14-15-19.

f. A parent judicially declared incompetent or mentally defective if the court dispenses with the parent's consent.

g. Any parent of the individual to be adopted, if the individual is an adult.

h. Any legal guardian or lawful custodian of the individual to be adopted, other than a parent, who has failed to respond in writing to a request for consent for a period of sixty days or who, after examination of the guardian's or custodian's written reasons for withholding consent, is found by the court to be withholding consent unreasonably.

i. The spouse of the individual to be adopted, if the failure of the spouse to consent to the adoption is excused by the court by reason of prolonged unexplained absence, unavailability, incapacity, or circumstances constituting an unreasonable withholding of consent.

j. A parent of the minor, if the failure of the parent to consent is excused by the court in the best interest of the child by reason of the parent's prolonged unexplained absence, unavailability, incapacity, or significant failure, without justifiable cause, to establish a substantial relationship with the minor or to manifest a significant parental interest in the minor, or by reason of inability of the court to identify the parent.