Adoption via news paper???

What is the name of your state? Kansas

When I was about 8 or 9 my step father adopted my sister, brother and myself. They couldn't locate my BF so they did something involving printing the adoption papers in the local paper. I'm in a similar situation with my own children and they're step father. He want's to adopt them. I have 2 children with differant fathers. One is looking at prison tyme and has OK'd the adoption. The other we can't find. I'm pretty certain the same technique that was used for my adoption is legal in Kansas. Can I do this? And if so, how would I go about it? Our money situation is shifty and I need the least expensive method of acoplishing this goal due to my failing health. I f something were to happen to me I want to make sure that my husband get's my kids.

WAS paternity extablished?

http://www.adoptionsolutions.com/general/state laws/ks_law.htm

Kansas adoption law does have an allowance for adoption without the biofather's permission if:

"one parent, if the other has failed to assume the duties of a parent for 2 years"

I do not know how the court establishes that fact. Contact a local family law /adoption attorney,or, at minimum, start by checking whether your county/children's court has an adoption packet for your situation which tells you what they will require from you. When we readopted our daughter, the county Children's Court had such a packet available for a tiny fee. I would not go ahead and "publish" and incure that expense until it is part of whatever court sanctioned process has been established. There may be specific language and specific publications that meet that requirement.

Also, IS paternity established? Were you married to the father? If not, did he sign theAffidavit of Paternity,oir did a DNA test establish paternity? If not, you likely will not need his permission (see link above).

He never doubted paternity of our daughter. But at the same tyme he never signed the documentaion required to have his name on her birth certificate. There is a child support order in effect but he's NEVER paid on it. They didn't require a paternity test for the order because he never contested paternity.

"Consent to Adoption
The following persons must consent to the adoption:

1.
both natural parents;

2.
the adoptee, if over 14 years of age and of sound intellect;

3.
one parent, if the other has failed to assume the duties of a parent
for 2 years; .......

If it has been over two years, you may fit that #3 catagory. If he was to pay through the state, it should be easy to document his failure to pay CS. If not, it depends upon what the courts require to establish that he has "failed to assume the duties..." Sounds as though it should be do-able, though. Publication might not even be needed. Check with whatever court in your arae has jurisdiction over adoption matters and see if there is any preliminary into they have for step adoption. If not, you will need to have legal representation in this process.