Hawaii Stepparent Adoption, can we do it ourselves?

[bigeyes]

What is the name of your state? Hawaii

My husband has a daughter from a previous marriage, mother deceased.
I have a son, and his father's rights were legally terminated, I have papers stating that.

Is there a way we can file our own papers to adopt each other's child, or do we have to hire an attorney? I've tried to search the laws on the Hawaii state page and can't find anything to help.

 

[Silverplum]

What is the name of your state? Hawaii

My husband has a daughter from a previous marriage, mother deceased.
I have a son, and his father's rights were legally terminated, I have papers stating that.

Is there a way we can file our own papers to adopt each other's child, or do we have to hire an attorney? I've tried to search the laws on the Hawaii state page and can't find anything to help.

You've answered your own question, haven't you?

 

[bigeyes]

um, no. I was hoping someone actually knew the answer, or had better luck or skills with searching than I did.

Surely I'm not the first person in Hawaii to want to do this?

 

[Zigner]

You really really should consult/hire an attorney.

With that said, I typed hawaii step-parent adoption in to Google and the first two hits were company's offering the forms...

 

[Silverplum]

um, no. I was hoping someone actually knew the answer, or had better luck or skills with searching than I did.

Surely I'm not the first person in Hawaii to want to do this?

LOL
I DO know the answer. But I'm not an attorney licensed in HI to help you with the adoptions.

What I was saying is that if you can't even search and find forms, you DEFINITELY CANNOT represent yourself in court.

um, ok?

 

[Silverplum]

I typed hawaii step-parent adoption in to Google and the first two hits were company's offering the forms...

No!
Not really?!?
Wow!

 

[Zigner]

I'm gonna make you some pudding!

Amazingly enough...I'm EATING pudding right now! Of course, it's just plain ol' chocolate

 

[bigeyes]

LOL
I DO know the answer. But I'm not an attorney licensed in HI to help you with the adoptions.

What I was saying is that if you can't even search and find forms, you DEFINITELY CANNOT represent yourself in court.

um, ok?

lol

ok

I was searching on the hawaii state page, from a link I found here. I didn't google yet.

That answers my question though. We don't have anyone to contest the adoption and I wanted to know if we actually had to go to court, or if we could just file papers somewhere ourselves. I didn't really ask the question right. Since you just said we would not be able to represent ourselves in court, I guess that's a no, huh?

Geeze, I didn't come here to be cross examined. I was asking for help, and all I got was snark.

 

[Silverplum]

lol
ok
I was searching on the hawaii state page, from a link I found here. I didn't google yet.

Whatever. YOU said you can't find the forms.

That answers my question though. We don't have anyone to contest the adoption and I wanted to know if we actually had to go to court,

At some point.

or if we could just file papers somewhere ourselves.

At some point you'd do that, too. It's not either/or.

I didn't really ask the question right. Since you just said we would not be able to represent ourselves in court, I guess that's a no, huh?

Um, no.
It means that if you can't handle being your own attorney, you'd better hire one. It's not that deep.

Geeze, I didn't come here to be cross examined. I was asking for help, and all I got was snark.

You get free advice.
We get snark.
Everyone wins.

 

[Zigner]

lol

ok

I was searching on the hawaii state page, from a link I found here. I didn't google yet.

That answers my question though. We don't have anyone to contest the adoption and I wanted to know if we actually had to go to court, or if we could just file papers somewhere ourselves. I didn't really ask the question right. Since you just said we would not be able to represent ourselves in court, I guess that's a no, huh?

Geeze, I didn't come here to be cross examined. I was asking for help, and all I got was snark.

Look, from the get-go, you showed yourself to be unable to perform the basic research necessary to answer your own questions. This is NOT a matter of the information being hard to find.
So, you were advised that you should retain an attorney.

CAN a step-parent adoption be done without an attorney? Yes, of course. But, if have to ask the question in the first place (after researching it), then it shows that you should have help.

 

[bigeyes]

Look, from the get-go, you showed yourself to be unable to perform the basic research necessary to answer your own questions. This is NOT a matter of the information being hard to find.
So, you were advised that you should retain an attorney.

CAN a step-parent adoption be done without an attorney? Yes, of course. But, if have to ask the question in the first place (after researching it), then it shows that you should have help.

how asinine. this is a free advice forum. Why the hell is this place advertised as such if you get attacked for asking?

I stated that I went to the Hawaii state site to look for information, meaning the State's law website, not the legal forms page on this site. All I wanted to know was if it was possible for people to file their own forms. I never said anything about looking for the actual forms, just information.

maybe you should go back to a remedial reading course.

Guess it's true you get what you pay for.

unsubbed.

 

[Silverplum]

how asinine. this is a free advice forum. Why the hell is this place advertised as such if you get attacked for asking?

What attack?
You are not capable of repping yourself in court. That's clear. If you want to screw it up, go ahead. It's not like I personally care.
And swearing, now? Coooool!

I stated that I went to the Hawaii state site to look for information, meaning the State's law website, not the legal forms page on this site. All I wanted to know was if it was possible for people to file their own forms. I never said anything about looking for the actual forms, just information.

You said you couldn't find forms. Then you asked some really basic questions.
Again, you obviously are UNABLE to perform as your own attorney. That's just a fact, lady.

maybe you should go back to a remedial reading course.

Guess you should give up the idea of stepparent adoption.

Guess it's true you get what you pay for.

Guess you're ever-so-slightly smarter than when you began.

unsubbed.

You're too immature to be a parent to one child, much less two.

 

[Zigner]

Silverplum said it very well. I'll sum it up.

If you can't figure out 2+2, don't sign up for algebra...

 

[VeronicaLodge]

that would be a+b not 2+2

 

[Silverplum]

that would be a+b not 2+2

And the point is neatly made!