I have been with my husband for quite a while and we are almost 2 years married. He's been wanting to adopt my daughter, however I don't know what the law is for AZ. My daughter's biological father is not named on the birth certificate, never paid child support or ever attempted to see her. I have NO idea where he is at this moment. What would be my first step? I looked at many of the questions on this site, but none of what I have found applies to my state. Thank you for any help you may be able to give me
the easiest thing to do would be to call the county clerk of where you live and ask them for information for adoption in your county and state. They will probably be more helpful than anyone
my husband adopted his son in AZ. He did have to find the father. Don't be discouraged. Call an attorney and get general free advise over the phone or some will offer free consultations.
I was in the same situation and my husband adopted my daughter the tucson juvienal courts, I went thru the website and called them and they walked me thru everything and it cost us about $ 650 for everything took three months.
Only an Attorney can make sure you don't miss any steps to make sure the dad doesn't come back in 10 years and say it's void because he didn't waive his rights. Only an Attorney will know the laws.
An attorney would be able to tell you what steps need to be taken for your husband to be able to legally adopt. Since you don't know where the biodad is there may be some additional steps to take like placing an ad in the paper or something like that. I know legally you must have tried to locate him and have evidence that you have done such. An attorney would be where I would also begin as well as the courts.
You ultimately need an Attorney.
And to do it, correctly.
At any given time, your child's Father can demand, custody or other things. there is no way to predict that. (Does he know where you are and his child????)
And to my knowledge, the bio Dad would need to sign off on the "Adoption?" Not sure.
You NEED, a Lawyer.
Doesn't your Ex have relatives or parents? Do you know where they are???
Or have a search done on him, to locate him.
It is all legal paperwork and legalities.
You can't do this, yourself.
I know in Pima county you can do it yourself for 250. Check with the family courts and see what needs to be done. You dont need to terminate parental rights so you can do it yourself. My husband adopted my son, but i needed the lawyer for terminating rights. The woman who did the homestudy told me i could have done the adoption part myself for cheap. Good luck
I just went through this and my husband is now the father of my child. I scheduled a hearing with my juvenialle court, went to the clerk of the court and picked up the paper work for the appoinment and to process the information. I had to have a process server/investigator serve my ex, i sent it to his last know address and made it so he had to sign for it, i had it published in his county newpaper, and in my county newpaper. The court deemed that i made ever possible attempt to contact and notify him. once at the hearing the court will review the information presented (i had 3 seperate hearings so i recommend doing all 3 to save the time) and either make you the sole custodian and your child free for adoption or tell you the next step needed to make it so s/he is. When the hearing happend and if the child is cleared an adoption examiner will walk you through the adoption process. you will need refrences and have visits from a case worker. They will schedule you for a hearing. After this process is completed they will either deem that it is in the best interest of the child to allow the adoption to happen (being that he has raised the child and is married to you this is the most likely outcome) or that more information is needed/that it is not in the best interest. you will also need to decide on if you will change her last name, if you do they will have you contact the social security office to get a new card and birth certificate.
