Bobby and Diane Bixler, of Irmo, South Carolina, attempted the adoption of a Shawnee child over the objections of the Jeremy Simmons, child's biological father, those of the tribe he belongs to. The child was remove from Oklahoma without the Interstate Custody for the Placement of Children (ICPC) paperwork or complying with Oklahoma state law on removing the child. Raymond Godwin, attorney for the Bixlers has been quoted as stating “Just because the birth father is a sperm donor and has that biological link does not under the law establish his parental rights.” Godwin did acknowledge that the Bixlers did take Deseray from Oklahoma without complying with the ICPC or Oklahoma state law.

An attorney for the Shawnee tribe in Oklahoma noted that the Bixlers "literally paid their money and split with the kid..."[ Godwin disputed this, claiming that the Bixlers only left to protect the job of the putative adoptive father. Oklahoma Judge Allen Welch has ordered the return of the child to Oklahoma.The tribe's attorney in South Carolina has noted that South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley insisted that Oklahoma comply with the South Carolina court order, and that it was now time for South Carolina to comply with an Oklahoma court order. In addition, the attorney contracted by Godwin in Oklahoma has written to Godwin, demanding the immediate return of the child to Oklahoma, and stating " Since your clients chose to secretly ignore the law it is my position they have all liability for the child's safe keeping until they surrender physical custody of the child and have no right to physical custody of the child.

Terry Achane and his wife Tira Bland, conceived a daughter in 2011. At the time the couple was living apart (she in Texas, he in South Carolina) due to work obligations. Tira Bland put up the child for adoption at birth, without informing Achane.

In November 2012, a judge ruled the girl should be returned to her father.

Jake Strickland had a relationship with Whitney Pettersson, who became pregnant around April 2010. The relationship didn't work out, but a decision was made to share parental duties. Unbeknownst to Strickland, Petterson places the baby for adoption in December 2010.

Strickland has been fighting this decision ever since.

8-month-old Gabriel Johnson, born to Logan McQueary and Elizabeth Johnson, disappeared December 26, 2009. Elizabeth Johnson, without consent of the father, tried to place Gabriel for adoption with an Arizona couple. This placement never materialized, and December 29, 2009, Elizabeth Johnson was arrested. She claimed to have given Gabriel to a couple in San Antonio, Texas.

23-year-old man, learned on December 19, 2009, his former girl-friend who was pregnant with his child at the time, was going to stay in Utah for some time. On January 13, 2010, Ramsey Shaud filed his claim to the child with the Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics, two days before the birth of the child. Since entering his claim into the state's database took 7 days, he was one day late, and the adoption of his child proceeded.

In 2009, Matt and Melanie Capobianco, a couple from South Carolina sought to adopt a child whose father, Dusten Brown, was a member of the Cherokee Nation. Brown contested the adoption on the grounds that he was not properly notified in accordance with Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) , and won his cases in trial court and on appeal with the state supreme court.

On October 1, 2012, the adoptive couple petitioned the United States Supreme Court to review the case. On January 4, 2013, the court granted certiorari and heard the case on April 16, 2013. On June 25, 2013, the Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision, sending the case back to the state court of South Carolina for further hearings on the issue. On July 31, 2013, the South Carolina trial court finalized the adoption of the child to the adoptive couple, but on August 30. 2013, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that the girl would not immediately be transferred from the custody of her biological father to the South Carolina couple who adopted her. The stay was lifted on September 23, 2013 and the child was turned over to her adoptive parents on the same day.

Baby Emma was born February 20, 2009 in Woodbridge, Virginia. Her mother, Emily Colleen Fahland, put the child up for adoption without consent of John Wyatt, the father of the child. Baby Emma was placed with a Utahn couple.

Officials in Virginia have stated John Wyatt made his claim to fatherhood within the designated time limit, while officials in Utah use different criteria, rendering his claim futile.

Robert Manzanares was deceived by the mother of his daughter, who placed the girl for adoption in Utah against his will. A court battle has been going on since 2008.