Bio-father is MIA

What is the name of your state? Kentucky

Soon I will be getting married, and my fiancee wants to adopt my 4 year old. One problem... the biological father is no where to be found.

I have never received any child support nor has the bio-father contributed in any way to my son's life (...aside from conception).

When I announced that I was pregnant, the bio-father said it was my problem not his. I have never seen nor heard from him since and I did not put a father's name on the birth certificate.

What steps need to be taken in order for my fiancee to adopt my 4 yr old when we marry?

Get a consultation with a good family attorney. There is a set amount of time you must be married before he can file a petition to adopt. The court will make every effort to find biodad and give him an opportunity to consent to the adoption. If he consents, the process is fairly quick & inexpensive. If he is stupid enough to fight it, then you demand a DNA test and file for support. I can't believe he'd even try to obtain custody, visitation, etc. or begin paying child support after all this time.

We just completed our own situation very similar to yours. After my stepson was 4 years old and the process was started, biodad decided to fight the adoption. I have been with this boy since birth and biodad didn't have a chance for even supervised visitation, and he eventually gave up.

The termination of parental rights laws, and the adoption laws were set up for situations exactly like yours. I'd bet the rent money that you get everything you want without much trouble!

Good luck. You & your child are lucky.

consult your attorney. they will ask for the last known address of the bio father. they will do what they can to locate him. they will also probably give you the option of putting an ad in a nationwide newspaper to give him a chance to respond. the man you are going to marry has to be a guardian over the child with you for a set amount of time (it may vary state to state). a social worker will come to your home and check things out. its more paperwork than anything. in my case the bio dad did not fight the adoption (although there was a bit of defamation). i think he was a bit scared of the jag return address. if he chooses to fight he will have to pay for a paternity test, find a lawyer, and a place to stay in your jurisdiction not his. it will be of more expense to him than you. also, once you file for adoption -your child is at a high risk of being kidnapped. keep that in mind. first things first though - consult your attorney. if you dont have one, try one that gives you a free initial consultation. they can give you more detail and advice.