[HOPE4U]

Oh boy...I thought that this would be simple, and maybe it still will be.
My sister has asked mu husband and I to adopt her unborn child. She is in one state and we are in another. We just finalized on a foster/adopt adoption in August 07. So we have current homestudy in place. We hae an attorney in both states, although have not heard any details from either to find out what is going to happen. Waiting for phone calls on that. Does anyone know where jurisdiction lies- in the state of the birth parent or in the state of the adoptive parents? She is due in about 4 1/2 months, she has been in counseling and is certain she is making the right choice, and we have discussed the openess that we both desire.
The father is "unknown" and the suspected person has no desire to father or even be considered as the father, he wants nothing to do with her or any of this, in fact he paid her to stay out of his life and leave him out of the situation. She is concerned because we were told that a publication needs to be made, and she does not want her business in the papers- I can understand, but then agian we have to do what the law states. This is all so emotionally draining on all involved...and I am sure this is just the start of things.
Has anyone been through anything like this before?

[feelingreyt]

I have no real advice for you, only to say good luck.
We are also doing a relative adoption, but both parties live in the same State and County, so that makes it much easier I would bet. We also have to do public notification for the father. It is known who the father is, but he is running from the law on serveral warrants and there is no telling where he is, so this is the only way to terminate his rights. It may not be pleasant for the bmom, but you want to do everything right so there is no chance in the future that the bdad can step in and try to take your child away. Good luck and God Bless.

[knicho30]

Hope4U--

We are in a similar situation. Our neice was 3 wks old when taken from BIL and bio mother. We live in different states, but they border one another. The childs state (sending) had to petition Interstate compact for our state. Our state (receiving) then came out and completed home study, etc. We had several hearings just trying to get TPR. You may move more quickly because she's willing to term on her own. My BIL was not on the birth certificate so they did publish in the county where the DHS office was, but it wasn't the town where the family even currently lives. Then they still TPR'd on my BIL (who wasn't contesting the adoption).

I am pretty sure that the process will start in the child's birth state. I would contact that attorney again for additional information. Our attorney has been in the sending state for our case.
Good Luck!