[Dez]

i was wondering if anyone knows if i can adopt my step kids if my husband gets sole custody or does their mother have to agree to it? she is a bad mother and puts her needs before the kids....her and her boyfriend do drugs and he yells and swears at the kids..the kids always seem dirty and the younger ones teeth are rotting. they need to be in a clean house with rules and without drugs. let me know if anyone else has been in this situation. thanks

[debsdone]

to adopt you have to have mom give up her rights. Custody is a different thing. If mom has to pay child support, that is always an incentive to give up rights,unfortunately! Love, Debi

[Dez]

so i could get custody of them or just he could?

[debsdone]

Only he can get custody. You will be there anyways. To adopt, she needs to sign off her rights, and you need to petition to adopt. Or maybe your husband has to do it. In my case, I did all the paperwork when my husband adopted my kids. But it require MY consent as their mother. Our case was different because the kids were over 18, adults. good luck, love, Debi

[Dez]

i have read a little on it and there are circumstances where i wouldn't need her signature. like it she is proven an unfit mother or if she doesn't support the kids. i could try and see what happends in court.

[jlcwc92300]

hello, i'm also looking into a step adoption. from everything that i have read, you would still have to get the bio mom's ok for the adoption. my husband has full coustody of our girl. but she (birthmom) is court ordered to pay child support,(she don't). but because of that and the very lillte contact she does make we have to--A. get her to sign her rights off. or B. prove abandanmint to have her rights removed. you say that the birthmom is "unfit" due to drugs and just neglect? i feel that should be reson right there but-- you will still have to PROVE this to the courts, and that they would be safer w/ you. the thing that is driveing us crazy is that as long as the birthmom "tries" to "be here" (calls, child support, anything in the mail) it is considered contact. well there has to be NO CONTACT for 1 yr. (in most states) to beable to go for the abandanment, even then they can say "oh i tried" and then given another chance. and i didn't know that till 6 months ago. before that it was over 2yrs that birthmom had no contact w/ our girl. also most states you have to be married for a min. of 1yr. before a spouse can adopt. i don't know the age of your littles one. in most states if they are 12-14 they also have to give the ok to be adopted. well before this gets any longer, go to google, dogpile, or ask.com and type in "adoption laws in (your state) and also try "step parent adoption laws in (your state)" i wish you luck in your hunting. email me anytime you need/want to talk or vent
Joy- Blue_Eies_20@ yahoo.com