Help w/ Adoption Procedures

What is the name of your state? Georgia

Thank you for taking the time to read this...

I have a question about the overall procedure (costs, types, etc.) regarding adoptions. Hopefully you can help.

About 8 years ago, my younger sister signed her parental rights of her son (then abt 8 mos. old) over to my older sister and her husband. They went through court hearings and since the father did not show, nor respond to newspaper ads; his rights were taken away. They were awarded full legal guardianship of my nephew. To this date, he has never been formally adopted, nor does he know about this situation.

Thanks to the Dept. of Family and Children services, my sister is under the impression that the fees are just astronomical, and way more than they can afford. (Emotionally, this has been very hard for her). She really wants to get this done as soon as possible.

My questions are:
1) What fees are associated with this?
2) Can we write up the documents ourselves, and have a lawyer
review them for accuracy?
3) Alternatively, what is the most cost effective way to get this
done?
3) In addition to a Judge, what other individuals would need to
sign the "adoption document" to make it legal?

At this point, my younger sister is involved in his life as his aunt, and will probably continue to be involved in the future (unless he decides differently). Therefore, how do we insure her involvement without jepordizing their adoption, should she ever decide that she wanted some sort of custody? (can she do that)?

Thanks for your advice!

[Seanscott]

Since the father's rights have been terminated, and the mother will not contest the adoption, the process should go smoothly and the costs should not be "astronomical".

The child has lived with the guardians for 8 years, and I cannot believe any judge will not approve the adoption providing the guardians are fit parents.

In regards to your last question - Once the adoption is approved, the new parents have every right to tell your sister to stay out of their lives if they desire. They become the legal parents with ALL rights & responsibilities to the child. If your sister attempts to regain custody after the adoption sometime in the future, then the costs will be "astronomical"

Please have a consultation with an attorney. Filling the paperwork yourself will save you money, but one little mistake can ruin everything.

Good luck to you.

1) What fees are associated with this?

That varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The best place to ask would be the court.

2) Can we write up the documents ourselves, and have a lawyer

Yes

3) Alternatively, what is the most cost effective way to get this

That's a personal decision and one no one can tell you based on only the information you posted.

3) In addition to a Judge, what other individuals would need to

No one.

As for the question you did not ask, once the TPR is signed the sister has no more rights to the child. Therefore, she cannot come back later and file for anything, visitation, custody, nothing.

she is a legal stranger to that child with no more rights than I have.