When a single parent gets married, they often ask, “Can my new spouse adopt my child?” This applies in particular if the child`s other biological parent has not been involved in the child`s life for a long time or is unable to provide adequately for the child. The courts understand that it is in the best interests of the child to have two active and legal parents. If a parent is not active in the child`s life, the court will do what is best for the child and approve an adoption with consent or valid reasons upon presentation of the appropriate legal adoption documents. It is quite common to know where the absent parent is. It is also quite common for the identity of the biological father to be unknown. In both cases, you can always complete the adoption by a step-parent. It is not uncommon for a step-parent to come to our lawyer wondering how to get an absent parent to sign rights or how to complete an adoption by a step-parent without consent. This can be a complicated situation, as even non-custodial parents have certain rights over their child. The appropriate legal procedure must be followed to complete an adoption by a step-parent in this situation. Revoking parental rights is always a delicate process, and Denise M. Bierly, an adoption lawyer at a law firm, will provide you with the advice and support you need to complete the process that is in your stepson`s best interest.
Your lawyer will take care of all the steps and legal requirements to make the process as easy as possible for you so you can focus on what`s really important – your family. If you`re a step-parent wondering how to adopt a child in PA, you can expect the process to work something like this: Documentation and paperwork in an adoption case is paramount, and that starts with the consent of both birth parents to proceed with the adoption process. A child cannot have three legal parents, so the non-custodial parent must agree to waive parental rights over the child. The parental consent of the non-custodial parent involves the termination of their parental rights, which can be a difficult process if not managed properly. A lawyer can ensure that this step is handled properly so that the adoption can proceed. You must have resided in the State of Pennsylvania for 6 months before you can file your adoption. The adoption is filed with the probate court in the county where you reside. Adult adoptions in Pennsylvania are very simple. As an adult, the adoptee can decide for himself that he wants to be adopted, and he does not need the consent of the biological parent. Adult adoption can be completed after as little as 45 to 60 days.
To get started, click on the buttons on our website that say “Start your adoption”. This will take you to our questionnaire, which provides our legal department with the information needed to complete the legal paperwork for your adoption in Pennsylvania. Any type of adoption that deals with the absence of parental rights and their consent to adoption must be performed by an experienced adoption professional such as those at the law firm Denise M. Bierly. Adoption can be a complicated process, and when you add situations such as the absence of parents and involuntary forfeiture of rights, it becomes a delicate situation that only a lawyer has experience with. Our adoption service in Pennsylvania will ensure that your documents are ready to be submitted. We prepare your document correctly – all for $325 (you also have court fees that you pay to the court later). FACT: The documents we prepare for your family are different from those we prepare for another family. Indeed, adoption forms are prepared specifically for your situation. Therefore, it is important to enter as much information as possible in our online questionnaire.
If you commit to raising your stepchildren, legal adoption will solidify the relationship when the other parent is absent from the child`s life. This often provides benefits such as legal rights, healthcare, and inheritance. Once a parent`s parental rights have ended, the court will proceed with the adoption process. A step-parent may adopt the child with the consent of his or her spouse and the consent of the child (if the child is over 12 years of age). An adoptive step-parent must file a criminal record, if any, and may be able to get a home visit from the county before the court approves an adoption. A parent may voluntarily terminate his or her rights in respect of a child. Many voluntary interruptions occur when a parent is not involved in the child`s life. A voluntary deprivation of parental rights also terminates any maintenance obligations that the parent who ends the sentence may be exposed.
If you have any questions about step-parent adoption or any aspect of family law, please contact Attorney Marshall Chriswell at 724-465-5826 or send a secure message on our contact page. If your child`s other parent does not share custody or parental leave and you have remarried, you and your new spouse may want to continue the adoption by a stepparent. With this agreement, the non-custodial parent must agree to legally terminate their rights, and your spouse would become your child`s legal parent. Adoption cases can often be extremely stressful for any potential parent looking to adopt a child. Like all adoption cases, staged parental adoption cases can be among the most complex custody cases to bring to court. If a step-parent decides to adopt a child, the parental rights of the parent who is not the adopter`s spouse must be denounced. This can be done in two ways: the first can be done with the consent of the person whose parental rights are denounced. The second option is a court`s decision to involuntarily terminate a person`s parental rights. The next step in the stepchild adoption process is to participate in the adoption court`s preliminary hearings on the case. Preliminary hearings may be scheduled by the family court judge to clarify or confirm the details of the adoption application, obtain the consent of the spouse`s child if the child is over 12 years of age, and any other details that need to be worked out before the final hearing. Regardless of your personal stepparent adoption situation, we recommend that you contact our adoption attorney at 814-237-7900 if you are considering adopting a stepchild in Pennsylvania.
Our legal advice helps you establish a legal family relationship, even in complicated parenting situations. But biological parents can also terminate biological rights if they show the other person is a negligent or otherwise inappropriate parent. If the child is 12 years of age or older in Pennsylvania, the child must sign a written consent to adoption. Even if the child is under 12 years of age, the judge may ask certain questions to make sure the child is comfortable and understands that he or she will be adopted. It depends on the county where the adoption takes place. However, most counties in Pennsylvania treat adoption as “relative adoption” and do not require home study to take place.
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