Murrieta Stepparent Adoption Attorneys
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If you’re married to someone with a child from a previous relationship, you might be thinking about adopting your stepchild. Many stepparents consider this as a step towards building a better relationship with your partner’s child and building a stronger, more cohesive family. If you’re concerned with how this process works, give our Murrieta stepparent adoption attorneys a call. We have been helping people with family law cases for more than 25 years. We can help advise you of your rights and legal options before you take the next step.
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Requirements of Stepparent Adoptions
In the state of California, if you want to adopt your partner’s child, you must first meet some requirements. The process is easier if you are married to or the domestic partner of the parent and with the birth parent at the time of the child’s birth. If this is the case, you need to complete a Stepparent Adoption to Confirm Parentage form (ADOPT-205).
If, however, both parents wish to be in the child’s life, it becomes more complicated. You must be legally married to your partner or be registered as a domestic partner, and you must have the permission of the other parent before the adoption can be completed. The court will end the parental rights of the child’s other birth parent before the adoption can take place. In cases where the other parent agrees to relinquish his or her rights, the parent can sign their written consent to the adoption. If the parent doesn’t agree, you will need to get a court order to end the other parent’s parental rights after proving you tried everything possible to get the other parent to agree to the adoption to the judge. An attorney will be a tremendous help in this kind of situation.
How It Works
In the first scenario, you would need to fill out ADOPT-205. This form notifies the court about your child’s conception and whether there are any other parents. Both your spouse and you need to complete a separate declaration. You must then take these forms to the county clerk, who will charge a filing fee. Alternatively, you could send these forms to your lawyer or an adoption agency, who will file the forms for you.
After this, a social worker will write a report giving relevant information to the judge about the adopting parents and the child. The social worker will ask you questions, and you may have to fill out forms and pay a fee for this report. The social worker will file the report with the court and also send you a copy. When you receive the report, ask the clerk for the date of your adoption hearing. Finally, you will attend the adoption hearing, where a judge will make the determination of whether or not the adoption is approved.
Call Us at (951) 779-1610 Today!
The adoption process can be complicated. To ensure you’re filing the correct paperwork and completing the right steps, consult with one of our experienced Murrieta stepparent adoption attorneys. Our team at Singleton Smith Law Offices, Inc. provides outstanding legal services to people who are experiencing many different types of family law issues in California. Our small law office is committed to providing each person we help with personalized attention in order to make the legal process as quick and stress-free as possible./
Tell us about your situation today by calling (951) 779-1610 or filling out our online form. We look forward to helping you with your case.