Adopting my step daughter

[cj22009]

What is the name of your state? Georgia

I have a step daughter that is three and the biological father has never been in the picture what do I need to do to adopt her ?

[nextwife]

Was paternity ever LEGALLY established?

[BelizeBreeze]

Originally Posted by cj22009

What is the name of your state? Georgia

I have a step daughter that is three and the biological father has never been in the picture what do I need to do to adopt her ?

Tell your wife to tell you the truth.

[AHA]

Originally Posted by cj22009

What is the name of your state? Georgia

I have a step daughter that is three and the biological father has never been in the picture what do I need to do to adopt her ?

You'll need biodad's permission.

[cj22009]

paternity was never legaly established we have tried to contact him on this matter and have had no responce what so ever

[scott56]

Go ahead and file a "petition to adopt" and that will get the ball rolling toward establishing paternity.

[greivingspouse]

cj22009;
my reply is based on personal experience. The mother must file a motion to publish with the court. Upon approval, she can publish a notice in HER local paper. Retain a copy of the reciept for the ad for your court file. The father has "X" amount of days to respond to the notice. His failure to do so equals "failure to appear". Now she can file a motion to terminate his rights based on abandonment. Once his rights are terminated, then YOU can come into the picture as a prospective adoptive parent and file a motion to adopt your step-daughter. The mother must eliminate the father's rights before you can have any rights. Hope this is of some help. God Bless.

[Ohiogal]

Originally Posted by greivingspouse

cj22009;
my reply is based on personal experience. The mother must file a motion to publish with the court. Upon approval, she can publish a notice in HER local paper. Retain a copy of the reciept for the ad for your court file. The father has "X" amount of days to respond to the notice. His failure to do so equals "failure to appear". Now she can file a motion to terminate his rights based on abandonment. Once his rights are terminated, then YOU can come into the picture as a prospective adoptive parent and file a motion to adopt your step-daughter. The mother must eliminate the father's rights before you can have any rights. Hope this is of some help. God Bless.

Please dont' give advice like this. You are in MO. The OP is in Georgia. Unless you are positive that Georgia's laws are the same as MO's you can be completely misleading OP. And states have different laws.

[gawm]

I would advise against it. There is no benefit for you to adopt this girl. How are you going to feel if you and your wife get divorced and you end up paying child support for a kid that is not yours

Don't get me wrong, I know you probably love her, but what can you for her by adopting her that you can't do for her otherwise?

You are still pretty new to this marriage, I would wait awhile longer before you make a decision like this. ( and by awhile I mean 10 more years).

Just something to think about.

[BelizeBreeze]

Originally Posted by Ohiogal

Please dont' give advice like this. You are in MO. The OP is in Georgia. Unless you are positive that Georgia's laws are the same as MO's you can be completely misleading OP. And states have different laws.

And, not to mention it's COMPLETELY WRONG!!!!!!!!

[Ohiogal]

Originally Posted by BelizeBreeze

And, not to mention it's COMPLETELY WRONG!!!!!!!!

She said it was based on personal experience so I can't argue what she has experienced HOWEVER that doesn't apply to anyone else. I think she is missing something abuot how it worked -- okay a whole lot about how it worked but I figured I would just try to be nice. After all apparently I am NEVER nice.

[BelizeBreeze]

Originally Posted by Ohiogal

She said it was based on personal experience so I can't argue what she has experienced HOWEVER that doesn't apply to anyone else. I think she is missing something abuot how it worked -- okay a whole lot about how it worked but I figured I would just try to be nice. After all apparently I am NEVER nice.

YOU BITCH!!!
It was wrong because that is the LAST step available under statute if all other required steps have been completed without success and the court approves the publication.

[ceara19]

Originally Posted by gawm

I would advise against it. There is no benefit for you to adopt this girl. How are you going to feel if you and your wife get divorced and you end up paying child support for a kid that is not yours

Don't get me wrong, I know you probably love her, but what can you for her by adopting her that you can't do for her otherwise?

You are still pretty new to this marriage, I would wait awhile longer before you make a decision like this. ( and by awhile I mean 10 more years).

Just something to think about.

And if they DO divorce or mom dies before he adopts the child, the OP will have absolutely NO LEGAL rights to the child at all. This is about the CHILD, not the marriage. If he has been acting as the child's father for a substantial amount of time, I'm sure he would rather end up paying child support then having the child taken away, never to be seen again if they do split up.

[Ohiogal]

Originally Posted by BelizeBreeze

YOU BITCH!!!
It was wrong because that is the LAST step available under statute if all other required steps have been completed without success and the court approves the publication.

I know I am one. And quite proud of it normally
And yeah publication is the last step. Apparently she went through all the other steps but OP can't just jump to that.

[gawm]

Originally Posted by ceara19

And if they DO divorce or mom dies before he adopts the child, the OP will have absolutely NO LEGAL rights to the child at all. This is about the CHILD, not the marriage. If he has been acting as the child's father for a substantial amount of time, I'm sure he would rather end up paying child support then having the child taken away, never to be seen again if they do split up.

What's a substantial amount of time? The child is 3, how long do they give most marriages now, 5 years? And if they do split up would he even want to see the child anymore? If the love for mommy goes will he still have it for her child? All things to think about.