On the birth certificate the father is unknown and my husband was to adopte her. Help!
2007-03-22 03:31:42 · 9 answers · asked by Redneck Girl 1 in Family & Relationships ➔ Family
This is exactly my situation. Please wait at least one full year to make sure its gonna work out first. This is crucial. You don't want him to adopt her, then you two get a divorce. Though if that happened he would have legal visitation and pay child support for her.
let me tell you my situation: My husband and I got married when my daughter was 18 months. Since she could talk he's always, always been daddy. This Monday will be our fifth anniversary. He wanted to adopt her before she started school so we wouldn't have a big deal with the name change, but we never knew how to go about it. She started kindergarten this year and she has my maiden name. (no father listed on birth certificate) We decided now or never, so we visited a family practice attorney. They just took some info, copied her birth certificate, drew up the papers, and we signed them.
What happens now: They will run a legal notice of adoption in the local newspaper for four weeks. If there is no response by the day the ad ends, the adoption goes through uncontested and her name is immediately change. DHR (department of human resources) will send a form to us legalizing it all and then her birth certificate will be altered and sent to us. We can change her name at school the day we get the letter from DHR. Then they will wait four weeks after the notice ends for any appeals.
An appeal can only be made within four weeks of the end of the ad. So only a month of worrying about someone coming up and claiming her (which will never happen)
It's alot easier than it sounds. The only thing left to mention is the price. With this lawyer it will be around $600.00 , and we have to pay the newspaper for running the ad which will be about $150.00.
Call different lawyers and "shop" around for prices of step parent adoption.
good luck and GOD bless
2007-03-22 05:13:42 · answer #1 · answered by nic h 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you just got married, maybe you should give her some time. Let them truly get to know one another before you ask her to commit to his last name. I think that it's nice of him to want to adopt her but you need to look at the future. What if things dont work out for the 2 of you? I hope they do but what if they don't. She's stuck with that last name while you, who was the person who campaigned the whole idea, doesn't have to. Speak to her and see what she wants. This way you show her that you respect her opinion and not treat her as a child. Although, things could work in her favor if she does and things work out between you and your new hubby: such as insurance, benefits and wills and certain bond could be forged by the bonding of the names. Best wishes and take care.
2007-03-22 03:53:47 · answer #2 · answered by mothergoose 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You will have to goto your local Probate courthouse and petition the court for step-parent adoption. Then if the real father is unknown, they will list your child's name in the paper for 6 weeks. If noone comes forward, then your husband can adopt your daughter.
2007-03-22 04:08:08 · answer #3 · answered by MJ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Generally he needs to file for adoption- BUT the courts may require that you notify the actual father and get his consent first. If its a true unknown they you may have to publish (in the newspaper) a call for anyone who thinks they may be the father to come forward. Sometimes step-parent adoptions can have shortened time frames.
2007-03-22 03:37:28 · answer #4 · answered by professorc 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If your husband adopts her, you can apply for a new birth certificate listing your husband as her father.
2007-03-22 03:35:41 · answer #5 · answered by Scotty Doesnt Know 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
See a good family lawyer. Why didn't you put the dad's name on the birth certificate, girl?
2007-03-22 04:25:57 · answer #6 · answered by Lydia 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You really dont know who the father is???? If you do make sure you are getting all your child support. And then go to the courts and let him adopt her.
2007-03-22 03:36:06 · answer #7 · answered by prettysexycalves 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Registry office. ask for a name change certificate. it'll run you about 175.00$ I did it myself.
2007-03-22 03:40:22 · answer #8 · answered by Answer Stewart 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Talk to a family law attorney about how to do it in your state.
2007-03-22 03:34:17 · answer #9 · answered by megan261980 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋