Understanding the Step Parent Adoption Process

THE PROCESS OF STEP PARENT ADOPTION

There are a number of complex issues that come up when it comes to step parent adoption. It is first and foremost, very important for a step parent to make an analysis in order to ascertain whether or not he/she has fulfilled all the requirements that are needed in order to adopt the child in question.

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The laws that are provided by the state of Florida conclude the following conditions for step parent wanting to adopt:

1. Obtain the consent of the child’s biological parent

2. Upon the court finding that such an adoption would be in the child’s best interest or a good cause has been established due to the fact that the other biological parent fails to give consent

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Upon ensuring that all grounds for the step parent adoption has been fulfilled, the next step that ought to be undertaken by the step parent is to file a petition. If both the spousal biological parent and the step parent are in agreement, with regards the adoption, then the parties shall thereafter be required to use Family Law Form 12.981(b)(1). This is a form that makes it necessary for the step parent, who intends to become the child's natural parent by means of adoption, provides the following information for purposes of the adoption process:

 The names of the petitioners

 The names of the children to be adopted

 Each child's date of birth and place of birth

 A statement providing how long the step parent has lived with the child or children

 The step parent’s reason for wanting to adopt

 The home address of the step parent

 The step parent’s relation to the child’s parent

 The name of any other parent whose consent is required.

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Additional documents that shall be required in order to validate the petition are inclusive of the following documents:

 A certified copy of each child’s birth certificate

 A completed UCCJEA affidavit

 Copies of judgments terminating parental rights, if any

 Documentation for any interviews held with the children