Adopting my step daughter?

Question

My husband and I have been married for three years. I'm currently pregnant with twins (just found out - one boy && one girl). These are my first children, but he has a four year old daughter by his ex-girlfriend. She never sees Maggie. She agreed over the phone to sign her rights away so I could adopt her, with demands of her own of course.

We've decided we want me to adopt Maggie no matter what. This question may sound dumb because i'm not very educated about adoption, after she dissolves her rights what happens then? Is this hard to do or simple after she signs her rights over?? What all do you have to do?

Answer 1

http://www.whfc.org/adoption/default.htm...

http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/...

http://www.adoptiononline.com/gettingsta...

http://www.childbirthsolutions.com/artic...

Answer 2

It really depends upon your State.  My husband adopted my two children, and we did it all on our own.  We got the paperwork from the court house and filed them acordingly, like in your case the ex was consenting, so it all went off without a hitch.  It took about three months total.  Because we did it on our own we only had to pay filing fees, which totaled up to $95.00.  We live in PA, so I don't know what your state's laws would be.

If you believe this woman (your husband's ex) is serious I would go to your local courthouse and see what you need to do, see if you can handle it without a lawyer to save yourself some cash.

Good luck, and congrats on the twins.

Answer 3

Talk to a lawyer to make sure everything is right with the paperwork. After she signs her rights away she has no legal connection to Maggie. She can't sign her rights away and then a year later decide she wants to be a Mother. Doesn't happen like that. Once she signs her rights away, that's it, it will be VERY easy for you to adopt her then.

Good Luck,

Kimberly

Answer 4

get a lawyer meet with the judge and sign it and have her sign and that is it. dones't take too long. its great you are doing this and then shes out of the picture period. that is good sometimes they dont' really care and shes one of them good luck

Answer 5

After she signs her rights over to the your husband the the child is his alone. After that you will go to court and tell the judge that you wish to adopted the child through marriage. then it goes through the courts and if you are found competent ( no criminal record and so on ) then the judge will make it a legal adoption. That's the best I can remember it but its been like 20 years. It does cost a lot of money so keep that in mind. Good luck.