[usafmom]

My name is Amy. I was married last year for the first time. I have a seven year old daughter from a former relationship. My new husband wishes to adopt my daughter. She would like to have the same last name as the rest of the family now and wants him to adopt her. My problem is that I have no clue what I need to do to make this happen. My daughters biological father has never seen her, never made a support payment of any kind (there was never any money requested) and he has never ever made any sort of contact at all. His name is not on her birth certificate and I have no clue at all where he might be. My other main concern is that I that there will be state laws that we will have to deal with... but I do not know which state we will need to follow through with. My husband is in the military. This means that he is stationed where we currently are (Arkansas). But his state of residence is orginally Colorado. And my daughter and I are from Arizona (she was born there). We all currently reside in Arkansas. Where do I go?... What do I do?... Where do I start? Help!!

[kristamlit]

i am wondering the same thing! You and I are both in similar situations, except I know where my daughters father is. My husband is also military and I don't know where to file either. We are from Idaho but stationed in Colorado. If you receive any replies from people who know what to do please let me know,or feel free to email me and we can chat.

Krista
coloradokrista@aol.com

[micadee]

I know that if you are a dependant it is actually fairly simple to get the answers. Go to your legal office on base, if navy it is called Navy legal if Army it is called Jag they will give you the necessary paperwork and tell you how to start. As for the one that does not know where the father is or where to begin, you only have to advertise in the newspaper at the last known address or last known city.

I wish you the best of luck. Now my question. Does anyone know how about doing an adoption in Washington State? I need the paperwork and the websites I have been directed to will not provide it.

Thank you

[2boyz1girl]

I would just recommend talking to a family law attorney. My hubby adopted my son. First we had to "request" that my ex relinquish through a letter and legal forms. Then we were going for abandonment because he didn't reply and hadn't seen my son or paid any child support in over a year. He finally did relinquish when ORS found him and started garnishing his wages. Just call a few attorneys -- if you have an "in" with the military that's great. Once the relinquishment, or termination of parental rights is done, you can probably finalize in the current state you are living in.

[usafmom]

I will go to the legal office tomorrow and see what I can find out. Ive heard the newspaper thing alot. Do you know what I have to put in the paper, what kind of information?

[micadee]

Here is an example:


Termination of Parental Rights
Re: child's name
vs. father's name

I (your name) being natural mother of (child's name) request the adoption be granted to your (spouse's name). I request that the paternal father (his name here) rights be terminated for lack of interaction with the child in question. No support has been recieved in (put in the time period), no contact has been made (put in the time period). If you are the father of this child and you wish your rights to not be terminated please respond to (put a friends address not yours). In 20 days if no contact has been made I will address the courts that abandenment has occured with this advertisement as proof of my attempt to notify the paternal father.

Your name here


It goes into the legal section of any newspaper in the city of the last known address. Good luck. But I know that you can get legal advise through your legal on your base or post.

[usafmom]

Thank you so much! I will be there as soon as the office opens today, and will post my findings as soon as I have any.