step parent adoptions

[froggleggs06]

I live in Ohio and am trying to begin the process of relinquishing my 3.5 year old sons birth fathers rights. He has never met my son and has never tried to make contact even after the state required me to file for paternity and child support in order to get health insurance for my son while I was finishing a nursing degree. I don't believe he will object but I am unsure if the one year no contact no support law applies because the state determined that because his b-father is on SSI that he has no income and therfore there is no order for support. Does anyone know if the law applies, or how to begin the process all the state sites just keeping stating the law and no advice on how to start.

 

[tigger22472]

I live in Ohio and am trying to begin the process of relinquishing my 3.5 year old sons birth fathers rights. He has never met my son and has never tried to make contact even after the state required me to file for paternity and child support in order to get health insurance for my son while I was finishing a nursing degree. I don't believe he will object but I am unsure if the one year no contact no support law applies because the state determined that because his b-father is on SSI that he has no income and therfore there is no order for support. Does anyone know if the law applies, or how to begin the process all the state sites just keeping stating the law and no advice on how to start.

You will need to seek an attorney and give them all the information as to the last contact the bio-father had with the child. You will need to give a last known address of the father and once the process is started the lawyer will send him a letter stating he has X amount of days to file to contest. I say 'X' because I believe every state is different. I think doing it through the lawyer is best because it keeps all emotions out of the situation. Once that is done the lawyer will let you know if your state requires a home study and if the bio-father doesn't contest it should be rather simple.

I would get a few fees from some lawyers because the price can vary.

 

[froggleggs06]

Thanks

Tigger Thanks I was getting no where and was unsure if a lawyer was really necessary.

 

[stealth2]

Adoption is really never a do-it-yourself project, IMO.

 

[tigger22472]

Adoption is really never a do-it-yourself project, IMO.

I agree. This is something that you want to make sure everything is done correctly so as to not be overturned later. That would be most disruptive to the child.