Can I bypass consent to adopt my stepdaughter?

You will not have to have the biological father's consent, but you will have to serve him notice of the hearing date in which his rights would be...

Does the father have to be present at the birth to get their name on the birth certificate?

It is up to the mother if she places the biological father's name on the birth certificate. She is not required to place any name on the birth...

Would it be in my best interest to try adopt my grandchild that I have legal guardianship of now or wait till termination of rig

I'm am sorry to hear about your situation but am relieved someone has stepped up to protect the child. If there is an open Child in Need of Care...

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. Unfortunately, I hear it often. Thank you for your great work as a foster parent! I think reasonable...

Is it considered "abandonment" when natural father is in prison?

The Court can terminate his parental rights if he has failed to assume parental duties for two years. Imprisonment and failure to take advantage of...

Would my husband be able to adopt my children from a previous marriage?

Your husband can Petition to adopt your children from the prior marriage. You will have to be married first. Your ex-husband's consent may not be...

Do I need to do anything to ensure the father of my child stays out of his life?

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. The only way to ensure that your son's birth father could not file a domestic action and request parenting...

Can I get my ex's rights terminated?

The answer depends on whether or not you were married to the children's biological father. If you were, the statutory language focuses on failure...

How do I go about legally changing my (minor) child's full name? Their biological father (my ex husband) may not be of help.

I believe it will be necessary to file a Petition for Name Change. You will need to speak to an attorney. I believe your ex husband will at least...

How can my husband adopt my children?

You will need to speak to an adoption attorney. You will complete a step-parent adoption and will have to formally terminate the birth father's...