[3ltlmen]

Hello everyone!! I am new to this site and have been reading the posts to try to get info for my dh to adopt my son, but I have just gotten more confused. I have called the clerk of court office and asked how much it would cost to file a petition for adoption, which they happily told me, but when I asked for the papers, they said I would have to get them from a lawyer. I tried calling a lawyer, but found that the price they would charge was more than I had at the time. Okay, we moved almost a year ago, and I visited the clerk of court for this county and she told me the same thing. I asked her if she knew a lawyer I could call, and she told me that they weren't allowed to give that info. I know there has to be a way to do this without spending $1,000's on a lawyer. Also, can I go ahead and change my son's name during the adoption process? If anyone could tell me where to start, please feel free, all advice will be greatly appreciated.

[Boyzntoyz]

3ltlmen, I believe that if you contact an agency in NC to do a step-parent homestudy for you, they can help you with the county court paperwork. Best of luck!

[3ltlmen]

Thanks for the advice. I was wondering if you would happen to know if they charge a fee. I don't have a lot of money to do this, but I do want to do it correctly. I have been trying to find the correct paperwork and filing procedures on my own to save money.

[Boyzntoyz]

There is a fee for the homestudy. I believe it is around $800 and it includes them filling out the paperwork for the county.

[sharky8mup]

i am in nj, not nc, but will gladly send you the forms we used for step parent adoption...i found them in the state law section of rutgers university law library, a law student did help me, becuase it was a very confusing search... the forms should be available in the state law section of any university that has a law school, also, i was told that a paralegal can get you forms for alot less than a lawyer, if you would rather. and finally, in nj, no homestudy is required if the child has resided with you and step father for one year (and there have been no domestic problems, no criminal record etc). we just requested that it be waived in the petition for adoption. you can private message me with your email if you'd like me to send you these forms. best of luck

[julienjeremy]

if you go on to the North Carolina Department of Social Services website you can download all kinds of forms for adoption and stepparent adoptions they also have the petitions forms that you have to file to. My husband and I are in the process of him adopting my son so I have used the forms from the website for help. I don't know exactly where you live in N.C but the county i live in the department of social services will do a home study and the paperwork they have to do and it's only a one time fee of 200.00. Maybe this will help, trust me I know exactly how you feel me and my husband are going through the same thing, just get on the website and get the forms and best of luck! julie

[confusedNnc]

We are new to NC and are looking for any help we can receive about starting a step parent adoption.

We have used most of our savings to relocate due to a employment transfer and due to our financial status we would like to do the work ourself to save $$.
We do not want to have to use a lawyer if at all possible.

Our daughter has lived solely with us all of her life.
Her bio abandoned her years ago.


If anyone has any information,suggestion etc. to offer us in getting started it would be GREATLY appreciated!!

Thanks in advance!