Can't contact the biological father...?

What is the name of your state? Washington

I have a 5 year old little girl, recently married for the first time, and my husband would like to adopt her.

Her biological father dissapeared when I was 4 months pregnant and I have never heard from him. I have raised my little girl on my own, (no contact or support ever), and although I'd rather he not be in her life, I've exhausted all meathods of contacting him.

Questions? Can my husband adopt her without the biological father's consent? What is involved in this kind of adoption? Any ideas on the cost (we've been saving for awhile)? And could the biological father show up someday after it's finalized and get his rights back?

Thanks for your help!!!

My little girl's BF's name is not on the birth certificate.

Do paternity rights have to be established before they can be teminated or is it enough that I give the the BF's name and that he has had no contact? I'm a little confused on this one but I want this done properly.

I can't find any information on how long my husband and I have to be married before he can adopt her. Anybody have any good resources?

Lol, okay done for now. Thanks in advance for reading this and responding

[haiku]

Adoption is not something you want to start out doing yourself. it is possible to do it without an attorney, but it is really best to only go that route after talking with one.

All states have different rules about adoption and in some states it is more complicated than others.

True... as much as we are watching our finances at the moment I wouldn't do this without a lawyer. Needs to be done right, cost shouldn't be a worry when it comes to that... it's too important. I'm just trying to get some information and the sites I've found aren't answering my questions

I'm guessing that I will have to proceed on the basis of abandonment? But I still feel so unimformed about all the other stuff I asked about... Thought someont here might be able to help?

Thanks again.

[Seanscott]

In most states after all attempts to locate the biological father have failed he can be notified by a newspaper ad. If he does not respond, then the proceeding go on without him.

Adoptions are permanent & irrevocable. Once the final adoption is approved he cannot come back & demand anything. He will have absolutely no rights regarding the child. A new birth certificate will be issued with your husband as the biological father and the adoption records are sealed.

I suggest you go to your search engine and type in Washington stepparent adoption. This should give you a good start.

In our stepparent adoption the biological father started to contest the adoption, but then just quit showing up to the court proceedings. The total cost (attorney, court costs, filing fees, home study) amounted to about $1200.

[stealth2]

Originally Posted by Seanscott

Adoptions are permanent & irrevocable. Once the final adoption is approved he cannot come back & demand anything.

This is not strictly correct. If the bioFather can show that he was not notified OR that the proper attempts to notify him were not made - he CAN come back and contest the adoption and it CAN be reversed. Which is why it is so important to spend the money for an attorney to have it done right according to the law.

Thank you stealth. I was reading from the bottom up and you KNOW my reaction to that sentence.

Now I don't have to quote the cases that HAVE been reversed, even with the parent being duly and legally 'notified'.

[stealth2]

Originally Posted by krispenstpeter

Thank you stealth. I was reading from the bottom up and you KNOW my reaction to that sentence.

Now I don't have to quote the cases that HAVE been reversed, even with the parent being duly and legally 'notified'.

There are rarely any absolutes in life. If, for example, an adoption is carried out with legal representation and all i's and t's are dotted and crossed - it's most likely that it is irrevocable. But there are always exceptions. Even in the law. I would never, ever, ever try a do-it-yourself adoption but would make sure I had the best attorney I could afford to handle it.

Hey,

Thanks so much, I am trying to do research. I talked to a lawyer who said we should wait 1 year before starting this whole thing.

I so wish we could do it now but she said that it would be a breeze under WA state law if we've been married a year but unlikely if we start it now, (plus we'd have more home studies and paperwork).

I really appreciate you all giving me information. I wish I could get going on this now. I don't want him showing up on a whim and ruining my abandonment case....ugggggg!