How long does it take for a stepparent to adopt?
Parenthood is about love and not DNA. Adoption agencies aim at protecting the interests of both a child and a stepparent. Here are details on the period taken for a stepparent to complete the adoption process.
Legal Adoption Process
You need to understand how to adopt a stepchild legally. The legal procedures might differ depending on regions and regulations in a state. A family law attorney Los Angeles, will take you through the right steps involved in adopting a stepchild. A stepparent works with the adoption agency in a courtroom to adopt the child.
Adoption Filing Request
Filing for adoption requests in your resident county is the first step in your stepchild adoption process. Provide accurate information about yourself, the young one, and your relation to them in this form. Confirm that the adoption agency handles adoptions in your locality. By working closely with a stepchild adoption lawyer Los Angeles, you will identify local agencies with ease.
Investigations
After submitting the adoption request form, the agency sends social service experts to investigate the proposed adoption. This team will collect identifying documents like birth certificates and hold interviews with the little one. The representatives are interested in the wellbeing of the kid and will promote adoption if the environment is favorable.
Terminating Noncustodial Parental Rights
In a situation where one parent is alive, the law requires them to hand over the parental rights to the stepparent. Terminating their rights as parents means that they no longer have anything to do with the child. A parent cannot be granted rights like visiting the child or even obligations such as paying support to the little ones.
Parents handing over their parental rights and obligations must sign to relinquish their rights. Things might take a different turn if you cannot locate the parent, or they are unwilling to terminate their rights. As such, the responsible agency works with the court to find them.
Moreover, a child adoption attorney can ask the judge to terminate the noncustodial rights of a parent. If the noncustodial spouse is dead, the stepparent does not need any consent to take over the child’s responsibilities. The court will automatically grant parental status to stepparent if the noncustodial parent abandoned the young one.
Court Hearing
The final hearing is the last step in adopting a stepchild. During the meeting, the adopting parent makes their formal agreement in adopting the kid. The adoption agency and your stepchild adoption lawyer Los Angeles will help with new birth certificate preparation.
The stepparent adoption process varies depending on situations. Get an attorney for stepchild adoption to ease the adoption process. A family law attorney Los Angeles will help you understand how to adopt a stepchild legally. However, the adoption process may take around six months with the help of an attorney for stepchild adoption.
https://ezinearticles.com/?Adoption-Information-For-Step-Parents&id=3652505
https://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-a-family-law-attorney-do.htm
https://www.wikihow.com/Adopt-a-Child
https://uniquearticlereviews.blogspot.com/2014/02/adopting-child-where-to-start.html