[Archive]

Originally Posted By James and Simone

Savanah, my 5 year old daughter, lives with me and my wife of one year. My Wife is a German Citizen and I'm in the military, stationed in Germany, my Home of Record is CampHill, PA. My Present wife and I want to conduct a Step-Parent adoption. Only thing is is that my ex-wife is not consenting to the idea which creates a big problem. Three years ago my ex-wife and I split up and as of two years ago the divorce was finialized. While I was deployed to Kosovo, in 1999, my ex-wife wrote me a letter saying that she couldn't care for Savanah and that the beatings were gettting to bad. So needless to say, I left Kosovo immedately to go to the States and get Savanah away from that unrealistic life style. With that, I Gladly became the Majority care provider and my Ex is the Manority care provider. Which means my Ex still has some sort of Custody. My wife and I spoke with the Judge Advocate Gerneral (JAG), from the militray, and they told us that we would have to solve this with a lawyer in PA. Also, that we would have to "somehow" prove that my Ex has abandoned Savanah or that she is unfit as a mother.
Our questions are as follows:
1. How do we prove abondenment or unfitness 8,000 miles away? My Ex lives in Ohio and Germany is a little farther away then PA.
2. Is there another way around this such as guardianship or any other means?
3. Being that my wife is German and intern the adoptive mother, must the German law also get involved?
4. Being that my Ex never was asked to pay any kind of Child Support, should we revamp the court documents to read that she must pay child support, to sort of help her change her mind in consenting to the idea of Simone Adopting Savanah? Ex doesn't have the funds!!
5. What will happen with Savanah, if God forbid, I get deployed on a Military Operation and never return home?

If anyone could point us in the right direction, share something that might help us, or just want to give us a shoulder to cry on we would greatly appreciated it!

Sincerly,
The Dormuth's