getting custody of my niece

[cassywassie]

Hi, how do I get custody of my niece. My sister is giving me full custody, but I just dont know how to begin. Is it as easy as just getting it notarized? Or would that even help? My sister is 16 years old and really does not want a baby right now. She says she would like to live her life.

 

[LadyBlu]

Hi, how do I get custody of my niece. My sister is giving me full custody, but I just dont know how to begin. Is it as easy as just getting it notarized? Or would that even help? My sister is 16 years old and really does not want a baby right now. She says she would like to live her life.

Transferring custody of a child is not as easy as getting a paper notarized. In order for you to have custody of the child there must be a hearing and approval of the order by the judge.

Go to this link and it will give you the details of what needs to occur in order for you to have custody of the baby. I am going to suggest you hire an attorney that can handle this for you, that way both your rights and the mothers rights are considered when petitioning the court.

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/fa/fa016200.html#fa001.162.001

The above is for adoptions, the below is for custody.

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/fa/fa015300.html#fa005.153.005



*Forgot to add, the father also has the right to agree or not to the petition for custody or adoption. So he will need to be identified and served with notice also in the possibility that he would wish to have custody of the child.


[Edited by LadyBlu on 01-05-2001 at 09:49 AM]