• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Step-Parent Adoption Across State Lines

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

CJane

Senior Member
Hubby and I are in the beginning stages of a step-parent adoption of my 12 year old son. We've completed the packet our state provides for an uncontested adoption, and we're hoping that my son's father will sign the appropriate paperwork once it's served to him.

We're in Washington, Father is in Missouri, and I'm looking for advice from anyone who has handled an adoption across state lines.


Our courthouse actually offers quite a bit of assistance in making sure the paperwork is all filled out correctly, scheduling hearings, etc. My questions are more related to the "what happens after"...

I will walk out of the courthouse with an order to change my child's birth certificate. I assume I simply contact vital records (the health department in MO) and ask them how best to provide them with the order?

How do I end child support? Send a copy of the final order for termination to DSS?

We're letting my son decide whether he wants to change his name, and what he wants to change it to. If he elects to keep his current last name (his father's last name) as part of his middle name, can his father attempt to prevent that? Or does he lose the right to have input prior to the name change?

Washington is SO user friendly, there doesn't seem to be any reason to hire an attorney here to handle this, unless Father won't sign off on paperwork. But I'm wondering if I should hire an attorney in Missouri to handle all of the issues after adoption. Thoughts on that?
 


LdiJ

Senior Member
Hubby and I are in the beginning stages of a step-parent adoption of my 12 year old son. We've completed the packet our state provides for an uncontested adoption, and we're hoping that my son's father will sign the appropriate paperwork once it's served to him.

We're in Washington, Father is in Missouri, and I'm looking for advice from anyone who has handled an adoption across state lines.


Our courthouse actually offers quite a bit of assistance in making sure the paperwork is all filled out correctly, scheduling hearings, etc. My questions are more related to the "what happens after"...

I will walk out of the courthouse with an order to change my child's birth certificate. I assume I simply contact vital records (the health department in MO) and ask them how best to provide them with the order?

How do I end child support? Send a copy of the final order for termination to DSS?

We're letting my son decide whether he wants to change his name, and what he wants to change it to. If he elects to keep his current last name (his father's last name) as part of his middle name, can his father attempt to prevent that? Or does he lose the right to have input prior to the name change?

Washington is SO user friendly, there doesn't seem to be any reason to hire an attorney here to handle this, unless Father won't sign off on paperwork. But I'm wondering if I should hire an attorney in Missouri to handle all of the issues after adoption. Thoughts on that?
I can only answer based on what happened with some friends who did a stepparent adoption. The vital records part appears to be pretty easy. You should call the MO department of vital records and ask them what specific forms (if any) they require along with a copy of the adoption records.

You probably are going to have to file a motion to terminate child support based on the stepparent adoption. However in the meantime you can ask the MO agency that handles child support enforcement to stop collecting on your behalf. In fact, that might be enough since you are never going to try enforce the order in the future.

I am certain that your son is free to have whatever name he likes (as long as his two legal parents approve). Certainly his biological father would have zero impact once the adoption is approved.

Congrats to you all!
 

Ohiogal

Queen Bee
LOL I was just going to post "Oh, I bet CJane can help you!" And then realized that it was you posting...
Thanks for pointing that out. I didn't realize it was CJane and now I can understand why she believes dad will consent. I retract the question. The fact that her son is 12 is mind boggling!
 

CJane

Senior Member
Thanks for pointing that out. I didn't realize it was CJane and now I can understand why she believes dad will consent. I retract the question. The fact that her son is 12 is mind boggling!
It's rather mind boggling to me, as well. Wild is 21, Unruly is 18, and Twain is 12.5 - and I have a grandbaby! Definitely a different "season" than when I first showed up here. LOL
 

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top