contested

What is the name of your state? Fort Carson Colorado. Born in MD.
What to do?

I wrote earlier and my husband has been wanting to adopt my son since he was a baby. Birthfather has abandoned my son since he was four months. My son is now 8 years old.
How do I go about this? How do I terminate his rights. Since he has abandoned my son. Or is adoption the same process? Birthfather was living in Bermuda with his dad at first and i still in Bermuda but I don't know where. I only know his dad's address. Do I start here in Colorado? I have been living in CO for nine months. or do I have to go to my home state or where my son was born in Washington DC. Where should I start? :

[Seanscott]

When your husband files the petition to adopt, the biodad (if found), will be given the chance to contest or consent to the adoption. If he agrees, then his rights will be terminated and the adoption process will begin. If he fights the adoption, then you will ask the court to terminate his rights due to abandonment, lack of interest, failure to support, and failure to maintain visitation.

You can file for termination only, but the courts will be quicker to grant it if there is an adoption in the works.

The termination & adoption cases are two separate issues. You may have both cases going on at the same time in front of different judges. This happened in our stepparent adoption and one case was transferred to another court and both were handled by the same judge simultaneously.

You file in your current state of residence (Colorado).

You should go for a consultation with a good family attorney. It may be free, it may cost $100. This can be a stressful situation, but biodad has absolutely no ammunition with which to fight you.